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[Cheering]
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Are you ready?
3
00:00:08,695 --> 00:00:10,071
[narrator]
As the new millennium dawned...
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00:00:10,071 --> 00:00:11,448
Oh!
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00:00:11,448 --> 00:00:14,742
The once industry-dominating
World Championship Wrestling...
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00:00:14,742 --> 00:00:17,202
Bischoff!
Damn it all!
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00:00:17,202 --> 00:00:19,663
...was struggling to keep
pace with their rival,
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00:00:19,663 --> 00:00:21,915
the World Wrestling
Federation.
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00:00:21,915 --> 00:00:26,086
You are lookin' at
the next WWF champion,
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00:00:26,086 --> 00:00:28,005
and that's the bottom line!
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00:00:28,005 --> 00:00:32,050
In many ways WCW's
fortunes and future
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00:00:32,050 --> 00:00:34,511
hinged on one key event.
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00:00:34,511 --> 00:00:36,263
Bash at the Beach 2000.
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00:00:36,263 --> 00:00:39,807
Candidly, one of the biggest
disasters of my entire career.
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00:00:39,807 --> 00:00:43,519
Bash at the Beach was one of
WCW's biggest annual
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00:00:43,519 --> 00:00:46,772
pay per view events,
and in the year 2000,
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00:00:46,772 --> 00:00:49,942
it was the stage for an
epic clash between two of
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00:00:49,942 --> 00:00:53,821
wrestlings most controversial
creative talents.
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00:00:53,821 --> 00:00:57,533
And I promise you will never
see that piece of shit again.
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00:00:57,533 --> 00:01:00,911
I think Vince Russo is
motivated by attention.
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I don't know why.
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00:01:02,245 --> 00:01:03,538
I don't know if he
didn't get enough
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00:01:03,538 --> 00:01:05,040
when he was a little kid.
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00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,752
Eric represented
everything I despised
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00:01:08,752 --> 00:01:10,796
in the wrestling business.
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00:01:10,796 --> 00:01:13,840
And bro, I'll tell ya, you're
never gonna out work me
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00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,092
because I'm better than you.
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[Laughing]
If he believes that,
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00:01:18,428 --> 00:01:20,597
he's got a problem
with reality.
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The incident at Bash of the
Beach 2000 is one
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in which every participant
has their own version of
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what actually took
place that night.
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And I said, "Hulk, you're
not walking out of here
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00:01:32,566 --> 00:01:35,861
the WCW champion.
That is not happening."
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00:01:35,861 --> 00:01:36,862
What's Jeff doing?
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00:01:36,862 --> 00:01:39,281
Now it was script's out the
window, what's gonna happen?
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00:01:39,281 --> 00:01:42,117
And it's like, nobody wants to
watch wrestling and see that.
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It was one of the dumbest
things I ever saw.
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And Hogan, you big bald
son of a bitch, kiss my ass!
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That was never my plan.
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Hogan was pretty sensitive
about being called bald,
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even though he
doesn't have any hair.
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Did I know that Hulk Hogan
was gonna take legal action?
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How could you not?
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There will come a time,
there will come a place,
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when I will tell the entire
story of what happened
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00:02:04,931 --> 00:02:06,683
at Bash at the Beach.
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The legacy of
Bash at the Beach,
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the single biggest black
eye in WCW history.
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♪
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♪
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I despise the
wrestling business, bro,
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I despise the people in it.
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You cannot be a
good person and
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exist in the
wrestling business.
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You can't bro, because
you enter a shark tank.
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And unless you
become a shark,
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they will eat you alive.
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My name is Vince Russo.
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I was in the wrestling
business since 1991.
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So, I'm going
on 32 years now.
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[Cheering]
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You can boo all you want,
that doesn't change
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the fact that I'm
better than you!
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What I'm looking for tonight
is ratings, big ratings!
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And we're gonna deliver,
you son of a bitch!
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Vince, we've gotta know,
who is the WCW
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World's Heavyweight
Champion?
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-Question?
-Question.
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-There is no question, Mike.
-There is no question?
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Who is here with the belt?
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Um...
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Harm.
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Yeah, I'd say, long-term harm.
Yeah, yeah.
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In the 1990s, professional
wrestling is bigger and
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hotter than it has
ever been before,
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00:03:41,148 --> 00:03:43,859
as industry leader Vince
McMahon's World Wrestling
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Federation faces a serious
challenge to its popularity
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by an aggressive challenger-
billionaire Ted Turner's
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World Championship Wrestling.
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WWF would have been the
dominant company
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from '84 through,
I would say, '96?
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00:04:00,792 --> 00:04:04,170
In '96 it flipped over
and WCW was dominant.
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00:04:04,170 --> 00:04:06,339
My name is Dave Meltzer
and I'm the editor of the
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Wrestling Observer
Newsletter, and
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00:04:07,590 --> 00:04:10,301
I've been covering pro wrestling
since the early 1970s.
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The flaw of Vince McMahon
is the only thing
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so certain thing works.
That's it.
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00:04:14,262 --> 00:04:15,555
And there's a million things
in wrestling that
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00:04:15,555 --> 00:04:17,265
when done well can work.
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00:04:17,265 --> 00:04:20,227
As both companies engage in
a fierce ratings war pitting
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00:04:20,227 --> 00:04:22,813
their Monday night shows
against each other,
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the rise of WCW is led
by it's ambitious
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young president,
Eric Bischoff.
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I decided the only way I was
gonna be successful
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00:04:31,154 --> 00:04:32,572
was to be different.
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00:04:32,572 --> 00:04:36,368
I listed all of the things
that made WWE successful,
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00:04:36,368 --> 00:04:39,662
and I decided to do
exactly the opposite of
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what they were doing.
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I'm Eric Bischoff.
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Former president of WCW.
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I'm the first one that
created a weekly
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live television format for
professional wrestling.
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00:04:51,257 --> 00:04:53,884
I looked at the WWE and they
were taped and I thought,
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you know, wrestling
needs to be live.
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00:04:55,678 --> 00:04:58,180
When it's live the
audience has to watch it.
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WCW before Nitro was
just a really bad
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00:05:00,933 --> 00:05:03,268
cheap imitation of WWE.
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00:05:03,268 --> 00:05:06,062
It was just silly,
silly, childish stuff.
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-The Shock Master!
-Alright!
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-The Shock Master.
-[Laughing]
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They were
ignoring men 18 to 39.
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So, I thought, okay,
there's my opportunity.
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You know,
I began wondering,
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how can I transition into
more reality based product?
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00:05:22,328 --> 00:05:24,748
Eric produced a different
kind of a television show
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than had ever
been done before.
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He was just ahead
of the game and
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Vince was behind
the times.
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Before launching
Monday Nitro,
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00:05:31,086 --> 00:05:33,797
Bischoff aims to
legitimize WCW
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by head hunting
major talent,
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poaching Vince McMahon's
biggest star
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to be the new face
of his company.
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We're the number two
wrestling company
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in the world.
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We're a fraction of
the WWE's ratings.
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00:05:44,725 --> 00:05:48,854
And bringing in Hulk Hogan
changed the perception of WCW.
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00:05:48,854 --> 00:05:50,396
It was a seismic shift.
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00:05:50,396 --> 00:05:51,856
I mean, I remember
Eric telling me,
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00:05:51,856 --> 00:05:54,567
"Where Hogan goes, goes the
money." That was his saying.
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00:05:54,567 --> 00:05:57,069
And all of a sudden my phone
rings one day and
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it's my buddy Diamond
Dallas Page, and he said,
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00:05:59,322 --> 00:06:02,533
"Eric." You know, "Scott Hall
wants to leave WWE."
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00:06:02,533 --> 00:06:04,202
He was
Razor Ramon then.
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00:06:04,202 --> 00:06:06,120
So I do the deal with Scott Hall
and about a week
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00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,165
after that I get a call
from Kevin Nash.
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00:06:09,165 --> 00:06:11,667
Same thing.
Bam!
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00:06:11,667 --> 00:06:13,377
The lightbulb went
off in my head.
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00:06:13,377 --> 00:06:16,379
There's my storyline.
There's my reality.
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00:06:16,379 --> 00:06:17,881
[Announcer]
Here they come!
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00:06:17,881 --> 00:06:19,716
They've got baseball
bats in their hands.
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00:06:19,716 --> 00:06:21,843
[Eric] The NWO,
the New World Order.
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00:06:21,843 --> 00:06:24,179
-Oh, oh, oh!
-What is he doing?
145
00:06:24,179 --> 00:06:25,764
-Oh my God!
-Is he the third man?
146
00:06:25,764 --> 00:06:27,057
He's the third man!
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00:06:27,057 --> 00:06:29,059
What the hell
is going on here?
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00:06:29,059 --> 00:06:32,437
We left WWE in the dust.
In the dust.
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00:06:32,437 --> 00:06:33,730
We weren't just
beating them,
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00:06:33,730 --> 00:06:36,149
we were
beating them badly.
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00:06:36,149 --> 00:06:38,818
But the WWF isn't
down for the count,
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00:06:38,818 --> 00:06:41,570
as fans eventually begin
gravitating to a new
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generation of superstars,
and a radical new approach to
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00:06:44,907 --> 00:06:48,327
wrestling storylines
introduced by a brash
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00:06:48,327 --> 00:06:51,413
young writer,
named Vince Russo.
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00:06:51,413 --> 00:06:54,667
Writing a wrestling show
is not rocket science,
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00:06:54,667 --> 00:06:57,294
and one of the things I said
to Vince when I first
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00:06:57,294 --> 00:07:00,631
sat down with him, "Vince,
that wrestling handbook
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00:07:00,631 --> 00:07:04,384
gets thrown out the window."
And I said,
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00:07:04,384 --> 00:07:08,888
"Vince, from now on they
think we're gonna go left,
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00:07:08,888 --> 00:07:10,765
we're gonna go right."
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00:07:10,765 --> 00:07:13,893
Now all of a sudden
week to week to week,
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00:07:13,893 --> 00:07:16,563
they don't know
what's going to happen.
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The idea of crash TV is
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I am writing
that TV like the
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00:07:22,235 --> 00:07:24,404
viewer at home
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00:07:24,404 --> 00:07:27,739
is sitting there with the
remote in his hand,
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00:07:27,739 --> 00:07:32,661
begging me to give him
the opportunity to see
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00:07:32,661 --> 00:07:34,788
what was going on on
the other channel.
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00:07:34,788 --> 00:07:36,081
[Yelling] Look out!
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00:07:36,081 --> 00:07:40,544
So it would be short match,
backstage segment,
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vignette, short match,
fight in the locker room,
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vignette,
boom, boom, boom!
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00:07:47,134 --> 00:07:51,804
And you are not giving that
viewer the opportunity to,
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00:07:51,804 --> 00:07:55,099
"Ah, let's see what's on Nitro."
That's crash TV.
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00:07:55,099 --> 00:07:59,437
Russo's concept of crash TV
plays a key part in turning
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00:07:59,437 --> 00:08:03,608
the tide, and soon the
WWF is back on top,
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00:08:03,608 --> 00:08:06,736
beating WCW every
Monday night.
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00:08:06,736 --> 00:08:09,989
Towards probably the middle
of '98, certainly in '99,
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00:08:09,989 --> 00:08:13,701
that had reversed again.
Now WWE was on top.
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00:08:13,701 --> 00:08:15,827
And that was a
magical period.
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I don't want to dismiss
Vince Russo's,
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00:08:18,038 --> 00:08:19,122
you know, contributions...
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00:08:19,122 --> 00:08:21,041
but, they had
Stone Cold Steve Austin
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00:08:21,041 --> 00:08:22,626
and The Rock at
the same time.
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00:08:22,626 --> 00:08:24,169
And that's like, you know,
the Yankees with
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00:08:24,169 --> 00:08:27,047
Babe Ruth and,
uh, Lou Gehrig.
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00:08:27,047 --> 00:08:30,508
WCW, by the end of '99
they started losing money.
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00:08:30,508 --> 00:08:32,218
They were the Titanic
heading to the iceberg.
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00:08:32,218 --> 00:08:33,595
[Horn blaring]
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My budgets were
becoming slashed.
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-Oh!
-Oh!
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00:08:37,307 --> 00:08:39,184
Eventually I got
let go in '99,
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00:08:39,184 --> 00:08:40,768
because I was fighting that,
I was struggling,
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00:08:40,768 --> 00:08:42,394
I was fighting it.
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00:08:42,394 --> 00:08:44,396
Turner executives relieved
Bischoff of his
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00:08:44,396 --> 00:08:47,816
creative duties, while
rumours emerge that Russo is
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00:08:47,816 --> 00:08:52,488
overworked and frustrated
in his role at the WWF.
199
00:08:52,488 --> 00:08:56,075
Well, WWF added a
second show, Smack Down,
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00:08:56,075 --> 00:08:58,577
and did not give
Vince Russo a raise.
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00:08:58,577 --> 00:09:00,454
So they went from doing
one show a week
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00:09:00,454 --> 00:09:02,498
to two shows a week.
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00:09:02,498 --> 00:09:05,500
I went into Vince's office,
I said, "Vince,
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00:09:05,500 --> 00:09:09,295
I want to be able to move my
family closer to my
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00:09:09,295 --> 00:09:13,466
wife's family, so my wife
isn't alone and
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00:09:13,466 --> 00:09:15,843
she has help
raising the kids.
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00:09:15,843 --> 00:09:20,139
Because Vince,
I'm never home."
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00:09:20,139 --> 00:09:22,850
And he turned around, bro,
without missing a beat,
209
00:09:22,850 --> 00:09:25,144
and said, "You make
enough money.
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00:09:25,144 --> 00:09:26,938
You should be able
to hire a nanny
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00:09:26,938 --> 00:09:29,022
to take care
of your kids."
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00:09:29,022 --> 00:09:33,944
You don't tell a proud
Italian man who loves
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00:09:33,944 --> 00:09:37,531
his family to hire a nanny
to watch his kids.
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00:09:37,531 --> 00:09:41,285
Bro, at that moment,
it was over.
215
00:09:41,285 --> 00:09:44,913
And they had me up
to WCW that weekend.
216
00:09:44,913 --> 00:09:47,708
I was shocked when WCW
brought him in.
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00:09:47,708 --> 00:09:49,251
It was a match made
in heaven...
218
00:09:49,251 --> 00:09:52,712
or hell, depending
on who you talk to.
219
00:09:52,712 --> 00:09:55,715
I know I'm going into
this thing
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00:09:55,715 --> 00:09:59,010
with a target on my back.
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00:09:59,010 --> 00:10:01,679
This is the first time
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00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,516
I am going to be working
with these veterans
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00:10:05,516 --> 00:10:09,145
that have been at
WCW for a long time.
224
00:10:09,145 --> 00:10:13,316
From day one, Hulk and
Eric were like this.
225
00:10:13,316 --> 00:10:16,651
I can actually remember
locking eyes with Hulk
226
00:10:16,651 --> 00:10:18,069
for the first time.
227
00:10:18,069 --> 00:10:24,743
And what I read from Hulk
immediately was mistrust.
228
00:10:24,743 --> 00:10:26,369
Vince Russo was smart enough
to know that
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00:10:26,369 --> 00:10:28,204
you couldn't build around
Hulk Hogan anymore
230
00:10:28,204 --> 00:10:29,706
if you wanted a future.
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00:10:29,706 --> 00:10:32,751
So, yes, I think he was
trying to figure out a way to
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00:10:32,751 --> 00:10:35,003
remove him, because Hulk
Hogan had so much power,
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00:10:35,003 --> 00:10:36,588
because he was
Hulk Hogan.
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00:10:36,588 --> 00:10:39,132
And I've heard the
critics ask the question,
235
00:10:39,132 --> 00:10:42,342
"Well, is Hulk Hogan
getting older?" Well yeah,
236
00:10:42,342 --> 00:10:44,595
Hulk Hogan's getting older,
and so is every other
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00:10:44,595 --> 00:10:46,263
damn wrestler
in the back too.
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00:10:46,263 --> 00:10:48,432
-Day by day.
-[Cheering]
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00:10:48,432 --> 00:10:50,934
So there was this narrative
that Hulk Hogan couldn't
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00:10:50,934 --> 00:10:53,645
wrestle in the ring anymore,
or he had no value,
241
00:10:53,645 --> 00:10:56,065
he should retire, blah blah
blah, blah, blah...
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00:10:56,065 --> 00:10:58,901
where in reality, the
business side of the
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00:10:58,901 --> 00:11:01,278
wrestling business
still thought
244
00:11:01,278 --> 00:11:03,322
very highly
of Hulk Hogan.
245
00:11:03,322 --> 00:11:07,367
Taking the reins of
WCW in October of 1999,
246
00:11:07,367 --> 00:11:10,286
Russo begins reshaping
and reimagining the
247
00:11:10,286 --> 00:11:13,581
company's flagship show,
Monday Nitro.
248
00:11:13,581 --> 00:11:14,624
Vince Russo
believed, you know,
249
00:11:14,624 --> 00:11:17,502
the more extreme and
shocking you make it
250
00:11:17,502 --> 00:11:19,045
the more they will like it.
251
00:11:19,045 --> 00:11:21,130
We are just
gonna hump you
252
00:11:21,130 --> 00:11:24,634
like the dogs that we are.
253
00:11:24,634 --> 00:11:27,804
Sometimes that's right, but
you also run into a thing
254
00:11:27,804 --> 00:11:29,596
where once you've
done it, it's...
255
00:11:29,596 --> 00:11:31,348
you desensitize
the audience.
256
00:11:31,348 --> 00:11:32,766
And then there's
nothing you can do.
257
00:11:32,766 --> 00:11:33,975
[Cheering] Yeah!
258
00:11:38,146 --> 00:11:40,065
I don't know, I didn't
watch his shit.
259
00:11:40,065 --> 00:11:41,441
I couldn't watch it.
260
00:11:41,441 --> 00:11:43,235
[Vince]
I was there for three months.
261
00:11:43,235 --> 00:11:45,654
The ratings went up
in those three months.
262
00:11:48,657 --> 00:11:49,991
Well, he'll tell you
they were improving.
263
00:11:49,991 --> 00:11:51,159
But no,
they weren't up.
264
00:11:51,159 --> 00:11:53,536
Artificially it looked good,
but every month,
265
00:11:53,536 --> 00:11:56,038
if you'd do the month rating,
the October, the November,
266
00:11:56,038 --> 00:11:57,164
the December,
every month it was down.
267
00:11:57,164 --> 00:11:58,290
Slightly.
268
00:11:58,290 --> 00:12:00,626
[Vince] Next thing I know,
management tells me,
269
00:12:00,626 --> 00:12:03,170
"We're going in a
different direction."
270
00:12:03,170 --> 00:12:05,548
Then I said, "Okay, fine,
just, I'll go home.
271
00:12:05,548 --> 00:12:07,508
Send me my money."
272
00:12:07,508 --> 00:12:10,136
Now that both Bischoff and
Russo have failed to turn
273
00:12:10,136 --> 00:12:12,429
WCW's ratings around,
274
00:12:12,429 --> 00:12:14,890
the network lands
on a new idea-
275
00:12:14,890 --> 00:12:17,725
both men working
together.
276
00:12:17,725 --> 00:12:20,562
Brad Siegel is the
head of TNT and TBS.
277
00:12:20,562 --> 00:12:23,523
"Vince, I want you to meet
somebody for lunch."
278
00:12:23,523 --> 00:12:27,986
I know immediately he's
talking about Eric Bischoff.
279
00:12:27,986 --> 00:12:31,114
And now my job is to
oversee Vince Russo.
280
00:12:31,114 --> 00:12:32,740
You know, between
Vince and Eric,
281
00:12:32,740 --> 00:12:36,619
I never felt that there
was a power struggle.
282
00:12:36,619 --> 00:12:38,163
My name is Jeff Jarrett.
283
00:12:38,163 --> 00:12:40,956
Some call me JJ , some
call me The Last Outlaw.
284
00:12:40,956 --> 00:12:43,083
1, 2!
New champion!
285
00:12:43,083 --> 00:12:44,626
[Bell ringing]
286
00:12:44,626 --> 00:12:49,756
I just think philosophically
those two guys view creating
287
00:12:49,756 --> 00:12:52,801
and producing wrestling
content entirely different.
288
00:12:52,801 --> 00:12:54,887
A philosophical difference
as opposed to
289
00:12:54,887 --> 00:12:57,097
a personality difference.
290
00:12:57,097 --> 00:12:59,266
Is Lance Storm
officially in WCW now?
291
00:12:59,266 --> 00:13:00,475
Yes!
292
00:13:00,475 --> 00:13:03,979
I negotiated my contract with
both Vince Russo and Eric,
293
00:13:03,979 --> 00:13:06,689
and I much more preferred
dealing with Eric.
294
00:13:06,689 --> 00:13:08,691
Russo was the
creative end of it and
295
00:13:08,691 --> 00:13:10,234
he was, um, different.
296
00:13:10,234 --> 00:13:12,403
Vince Russo sat down
with, alright well,
297
00:13:12,403 --> 00:13:14,238
he's the guy that's going
to be in charge of creative.
298
00:13:14,238 --> 00:13:15,489
He's looking at me
and he's like,
299
00:13:15,489 --> 00:13:17,325
"Just off the top of my head,
the first thing I think of is,
300
00:13:17,325 --> 00:13:20,953
like, maybe making you
Eric's illegitimate son."
301
00:13:20,953 --> 00:13:22,371
And I look at Eric and
Eric has the same look
302
00:13:22,371 --> 00:13:24,123
on his face,
what the hell?
303
00:13:24,123 --> 00:13:26,209
Like isn't Eric like
ten years older than me?
304
00:13:26,209 --> 00:13:29,377
How is he my
illegitimate dad?
305
00:13:29,377 --> 00:13:30,921
[Eric] I did go into it
with an open mind.
306
00:13:30,921 --> 00:13:32,505
And, initially it was
kind of fun,
307
00:13:32,505 --> 00:13:34,466
but it became
apparent to me that
308
00:13:34,466 --> 00:13:36,801
Vince Russo is void of any
309
00:13:36,801 --> 00:13:39,012
creative instincts
or talents.
310
00:13:39,012 --> 00:13:42,265
[Vince] You could not
have put two of
311
00:13:42,265 --> 00:13:45,310
the most opposite
people together
312
00:13:45,310 --> 00:13:47,229
and said, "Go."
313
00:13:47,229 --> 00:13:49,147
♪
314
00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:57,321
With WCW in trouble,
the company's survival
315
00:13:57,321 --> 00:14:00,366
hinges on reversing its
downward spiral.
316
00:14:00,366 --> 00:14:03,202
Eric Bischoff and Vince
Russo devise a storyline
317
00:14:03,202 --> 00:14:06,497
designed to play off the
real life backstage drama,
318
00:14:06,497 --> 00:14:09,625
and the tensions between
Bischoff's veterans and
319
00:14:09,625 --> 00:14:12,670
Russo's desire to
push younger talent.
320
00:14:12,670 --> 00:14:14,338
There's new sheriffs in town.
321
00:14:14,338 --> 00:14:16,674
The idea of the program was
The Millionaire's Club
322
00:14:16,674 --> 00:14:19,008
versus the Young Blood,
323
00:14:19,008 --> 00:14:22,887
where all these young
guys that were held down,
324
00:14:22,887 --> 00:14:26,266
now they're going to get
an opportunity to shine.
325
00:14:26,266 --> 00:14:28,643
Little bit of a civil war,
creatively speaking.
326
00:14:28,643 --> 00:14:30,937
Between young and old,
because that's, like,
327
00:14:30,937 --> 00:14:32,605
part of life, right?
328
00:14:32,605 --> 00:14:34,399
Get that damn
camera out of here!
329
00:14:34,399 --> 00:14:36,901
Bischoff and Russo's
storyline fails to
330
00:14:36,901 --> 00:14:40,154
win over fans or
improve the ratings.
331
00:14:40,154 --> 00:14:41,905
Hmm... man.
332
00:14:41,905 --> 00:14:44,032
That whole year of 2000 has
kind of like blanked out of
333
00:14:44,032 --> 00:14:46,076
my mind because
it was so bad.
334
00:14:46,076 --> 00:14:48,287
[Cheering] Oh!
Good God!
335
00:14:48,287 --> 00:14:52,833
It was destined for
failure from the beginning.
336
00:14:52,833 --> 00:14:55,586
Vince Russo, I was done with
him creatively because
337
00:14:55,586 --> 00:14:57,879
I knew he was
a bullshitter.
338
00:14:57,879 --> 00:14:59,840
Eric wanted to be in charge.
339
00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:02,009
So I call Brad Siegal
and I say,
340
00:15:02,009 --> 00:15:06,345
"Bro, put Eric in charge
of the show."
341
00:15:06,345 --> 00:15:09,640
Brad Siegal said to me,
"No, no, no, no, no, Vince,
342
00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:11,475
we want you to
write the show."
343
00:15:11,475 --> 00:15:12,977
Okay, fine.
344
00:15:12,977 --> 00:15:15,813
The next time I see
Eric Bischoff...
345
00:15:15,813 --> 00:15:18,316
Bash at the Beach.
346
00:15:18,316 --> 00:15:20,484
In the week leading up to
the pay per view event,
347
00:15:20,484 --> 00:15:23,696
Russo prepares the show
with a focus on
348
00:15:23,696 --> 00:15:26,616
who will emerge the next
World Champion.
349
00:15:26,616 --> 00:15:30,285
That week I walked into our
creative meeting and I threw
350
00:15:30,285 --> 00:15:32,662
a question out there at
the very beginning of the
351
00:15:32,662 --> 00:15:34,706
meeting, and the
question was,
352
00:15:34,706 --> 00:15:38,710
"If you could put the WCW
title on anyone in the
353
00:15:38,710 --> 00:15:41,254
company right now,
who would it be?"
354
00:15:41,254 --> 00:15:43,423
And I went
around the table.
355
00:15:43,423 --> 00:15:45,550
"Booker T, Booker T,
Booker T."
356
00:15:45,550 --> 00:15:49,512
And unanimously
everybody said Booker T.
357
00:15:49,512 --> 00:15:52,307
I said, "Well, then that's
what we're gonna do."
358
00:15:52,307 --> 00:15:53,475
[Cheering]
359
00:15:53,475 --> 00:15:56,518
I had had the belt at this time,
uh, a couple of months.
360
00:15:56,518 --> 00:16:00,606
And so my overarching
creative was for
361
00:16:00,606 --> 00:16:02,149
"The Chosen One"
Jeff Jarrett
362
00:16:02,149 --> 00:16:05,402
to face multiple legends
and be victorious,
363
00:16:05,402 --> 00:16:08,947
until it was time to switch
the title to Booker T.
364
00:16:08,947 --> 00:16:10,240
I'm gonna tell you
like this here,
365
00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,160
we gon' turn
this mother out!
366
00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:14,787
Now can you dig it?
367
00:16:14,787 --> 00:16:17,081
A lot of significance,
a lot of upside,
368
00:16:17,081 --> 00:16:19,791
and I saw Vince Russo's
vision and bought into it.
369
00:16:19,791 --> 00:16:23,628
So, the main event of the
evening was Jeff Jarrett
370
00:16:23,628 --> 00:16:27,006
versus Booker T for
the WCW title
371
00:16:27,006 --> 00:16:29,050
with Booker T going over.
372
00:16:29,050 --> 00:16:32,178
He's one of those guys where
you knew he was really good.
373
00:16:32,178 --> 00:16:35,681
Wrestling had not been kind
to African American wrestlers.
374
00:16:35,681 --> 00:16:37,809
Give somebody else a chance,
at least it's something new.
375
00:16:37,809 --> 00:16:39,769
To add more intrigue
to the event,
376
00:16:39,769 --> 00:16:42,104
Russo makes the decision to
give Jeff Jarrett
377
00:16:42,104 --> 00:16:45,524
one last win before losing
the belt to Booker T.
378
00:16:45,524 --> 00:16:48,276
A win over Hollywood
Hulk Hogan.
379
00:16:48,276 --> 00:16:52,030
When I wrote the very
first version of the show,
380
00:16:52,030 --> 00:16:54,616
it was Jarrett
against Hogan,
381
00:16:54,616 --> 00:16:58,370
and I wrote Hulk Hogan
very strong.
382
00:16:58,370 --> 00:17:02,666
However, he was not going
to win the WCW title.
383
00:17:02,666 --> 00:17:04,000
Why?
384
00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,752
Because you just
had an entire room
385
00:17:06,752 --> 00:17:08,879
agree on Booker T.
386
00:17:08,879 --> 00:17:11,173
Vince Russo had his idea,
what he wanted to do
387
00:17:11,173 --> 00:17:12,717
at Bash at the Beach.
388
00:17:12,717 --> 00:17:15,719
Hulk Hogan and I were on a
completely different page.
389
00:17:15,719 --> 00:17:19,223
What Vince Russo wanted to
do didn't freakin' matter.
390
00:17:19,223 --> 00:17:23,936
Hulk Hogan had 100% creative
control over his storyline
391
00:17:23,936 --> 00:17:27,815
and how his character was
presented on television.
392
00:17:27,815 --> 00:17:31,985
Back in 1994, Bischoff
had lured Hogan to WCW
393
00:17:31,985 --> 00:17:34,863
by offering him one of the
most generous contracts
394
00:17:34,863 --> 00:17:36,614
in wrestling history.
395
00:17:36,614 --> 00:17:37,740
I think the technical
wording was
396
00:17:37,740 --> 00:17:39,242
he had control
of his finishes.
397
00:17:39,242 --> 00:17:40,160
It was like, if he
didn't want to lose,
398
00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:41,411
he didn't have to lose.
399
00:17:41,411 --> 00:17:43,955
It's easy to sit here
and say, "Unprecedented",
400
00:17:43,955 --> 00:17:47,083
but to that date, someone
with no ownership,
401
00:17:47,083 --> 00:17:49,878
but to have complete
creative control,
402
00:17:49,878 --> 00:17:51,838
that is a conflict
of interest.
403
00:17:51,838 --> 00:17:53,590
When a talent has
creative control,
404
00:17:53,590 --> 00:17:55,966
it sort of comes down
to the simplicity.
405
00:17:55,966 --> 00:17:57,634
Are they worried about
their bottom line?
406
00:17:57,634 --> 00:17:59,678
Or are they worried about
the company's bottom line?
407
00:17:59,678 --> 00:18:02,055
It's radically different.
408
00:18:02,055 --> 00:18:04,475
So I wrote the first script
where Hulk Hogan looks
409
00:18:04,475 --> 00:18:08,437
very strong, but he does
not win the WCW title.
410
00:18:08,437 --> 00:18:11,690
Hulk Hogan poo poo'd
that first script.
411
00:18:11,690 --> 00:18:15,527
So now I re-write the script,
and I really make
412
00:18:15,527 --> 00:18:18,654
Hulk Hogan look
like King Kong.
413
00:18:18,654 --> 00:18:22,074
Not only does he wind up
killing Jeff Jarrett,
414
00:18:22,074 --> 00:18:25,620
he winds up killing
Scott Steiner.
415
00:18:25,620 --> 00:18:28,790
He literally winds up
wiping everybody,
416
00:18:28,790 --> 00:18:31,876
but he does not
leave with the title.
417
00:18:31,876 --> 00:18:35,588
Hulk says he's good
with the second version.
418
00:18:35,588 --> 00:18:40,635
So now I walk into Bash
at the Beach that Sunday
419
00:18:40,635 --> 00:18:44,179
thinking everything's fine,
and Hulk is gonna do
420
00:18:44,179 --> 00:18:46,097
what the second
script says.
421
00:18:46,097 --> 00:18:48,016
♪
422
00:18:48,016 --> 00:18:50,477
Eric Bischoff comes
up to me and says,
423
00:18:50,477 --> 00:18:54,022
"You better go in the trailer
and talk to Hulk Hogan
424
00:18:54,022 --> 00:18:57,734
because he's not gonna do this."
Who's in the trailer?
425
00:18:57,734 --> 00:19:01,446
Me, Hulk Hogan,
and Eric Bischoff.
426
00:19:01,446 --> 00:19:04,449
So if you wanna
break that down,
427
00:19:04,449 --> 00:19:07,535
it is clearly
two against one.
428
00:19:07,535 --> 00:19:10,371
Did Vince Russo and I
discuss it several times?
429
00:19:10,371 --> 00:19:11,914
Yes, we did.
430
00:19:11,914 --> 00:19:13,624
It was my job to
oversee him.
431
00:19:13,624 --> 00:19:15,376
It was my call,
not Vince Russo's call.
432
00:19:15,376 --> 00:19:17,253
He didn't get to vote.
433
00:19:17,253 --> 00:19:19,129
He thought he did,
but he didn't.
434
00:19:19,129 --> 00:19:24,385
Eric informs me that they
came up with a scenario,
435
00:19:24,385 --> 00:19:28,931
and that scenario is
Hulk winning the title.
436
00:19:28,931 --> 00:19:32,141
He wants to win
the WCW title.
437
00:19:32,141 --> 00:19:34,811
Eric's idea is to blur the
line between reality and
438
00:19:34,811 --> 00:19:37,397
fiction, with a story
angle where Hulk flexes
439
00:19:37,397 --> 00:19:40,483
his creative control clause
to win the belt.
440
00:19:40,483 --> 00:19:43,653
As Jeff Jarrett throws the
match in disgust,
441
00:19:43,653 --> 00:19:46,948
Hulk, angry at Jarrett's
refusal to fight,
442
00:19:46,948 --> 00:19:50,201
is then scripted to
storm out of the ring.
443
00:19:50,201 --> 00:19:54,539
The idea was for Hulk
to leave in a state of
444
00:19:54,539 --> 00:19:57,165
frustration and anger
as a result of the
445
00:19:57,165 --> 00:19:58,792
finish of the match.
446
00:19:58,792 --> 00:20:02,546
The important element of
it was that once the WCW
447
00:20:02,546 --> 00:20:05,299
realized that Hulk Hogan
wasn't coming back and
448
00:20:05,299 --> 00:20:07,134
he wasn't giving the
belt back,
449
00:20:07,134 --> 00:20:12,014
that would force WCW to
then vacate that title,
450
00:20:12,014 --> 00:20:14,516
and create a
tournament for a new
451
00:20:14,516 --> 00:20:16,560
World Heavyweight
Champion.
452
00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:18,812
And finally at
Halloween Havoc,
453
00:20:18,812 --> 00:20:20,897
which was our big
October pay per view,
454
00:20:20,897 --> 00:20:23,441
the two finalists
in that tournament,
455
00:20:23,441 --> 00:20:25,651
before it physically
took place,
456
00:20:25,651 --> 00:20:28,404
Hogan was gonna make a
surprise appearance
457
00:20:28,404 --> 00:20:33,409
and say, "Ah-ah-ah,
I still have the belt,
458
00:20:33,409 --> 00:20:35,369
and if you want this
you've gotta beat me."
459
00:20:35,369 --> 00:20:38,080
Boom.
There's your story.
460
00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,498
[Vince]
I was pissed.
461
00:20:39,498 --> 00:20:42,209
Bro, you're pulling this
bullshit the day of a show.
462
00:20:42,209 --> 00:20:44,461
I re-wrote the show twice.
463
00:20:44,461 --> 00:20:46,546
This show is
starting in an hour.
464
00:20:46,546 --> 00:20:49,758
It got to the point
where I said, "Look,
465
00:20:49,758 --> 00:20:51,843
we're gonna get on the phone
with Brad Siegel and
466
00:20:51,843 --> 00:20:54,054
we're gonna lay it out,
and we'll let Brad choose."
467
00:20:54,054 --> 00:20:57,265
And Brad said, "Go with
Eric's idea." That's it.
468
00:20:57,265 --> 00:20:58,725
Now you've got the
president of the network
469
00:20:58,725 --> 00:21:00,560
who's the tie breaker.
470
00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:02,187
It was over and done.
471
00:21:02,187 --> 00:21:03,813
[Vince]
Eric wanted to be in charge.
472
00:21:03,813 --> 00:21:06,733
He wanted things to go
back to the way they were.
473
00:21:06,733 --> 00:21:09,944
Bro, I'm not an idiot.
474
00:21:09,944 --> 00:21:13,197
So, Hulk lays out
this elaborate story,
475
00:21:13,197 --> 00:21:15,824
and I know the story ends
with him winning the title.
476
00:21:15,824 --> 00:21:21,163
While he's laying out the
story, this ear is listening,
477
00:21:21,163 --> 00:21:23,874
this side of my brain is
478
00:21:23,874 --> 00:21:26,752
figuring out another story.
479
00:21:26,752 --> 00:21:28,087
Because he's, I'm not,
480
00:21:28,087 --> 00:21:31,548
he's not walking out
with the title.
481
00:21:31,548 --> 00:21:33,633
[Jeff] Pay per view show time
starts at 8 o'clock.
482
00:21:33,633 --> 00:21:35,802
7, 7:30, somewhere
in that window.
483
00:21:35,802 --> 00:21:38,763
Vince comes to me and says,
"Bro"- In his great
484
00:21:38,763 --> 00:21:41,349
New Yorker accent-
"This is what we're doin'."
485
00:21:41,349 --> 00:21:44,352
"Jeff, Hulk doesn't want
to do the job for you.
486
00:21:44,352 --> 00:21:47,230
'F' Hulk.
Lay down for him.
487
00:21:47,230 --> 00:21:49,482
Let him leave with
his freaking belt.'
488
00:21:49,482 --> 00:21:51,901
We wanted everybody
to believe it.
489
00:21:51,901 --> 00:21:53,736
Jeff was not in on it.
490
00:21:53,736 --> 00:21:58,907
We wanted everybody in
the back to believe this,
491
00:21:58,907 --> 00:22:00,617
that was the goal.
492
00:22:00,617 --> 00:22:03,662
Vince was pretty clear,
"Go to the ring,
493
00:22:03,662 --> 00:22:05,956
we'll get the bell
to start the match.
494
00:22:05,956 --> 00:22:08,875
Just make it very clear
you're taking a dive.
495
00:22:08,875 --> 00:22:13,171
You're laying down for him."
And I was dumbfounded.
496
00:22:13,171 --> 00:22:16,591
And I said, "Vince, this
story is not well thought out.
497
00:22:16,591 --> 00:22:20,845
It doesn't make any
logical sense and-
498
00:22:20,845 --> 00:22:23,764
for a babyface to
capture gold this way."
499
00:22:23,764 --> 00:22:27,518
There's a real bad
taste that if a champion
500
00:22:27,518 --> 00:22:28,686
is gonna
be a champion,
501
00:22:28,686 --> 00:22:30,604
don't you really
wanna beat somebody?
502
00:22:30,604 --> 00:22:32,898
And this was the
opposite of that.
503
00:22:32,898 --> 00:22:35,109
And there's a million
other options, I felt,
504
00:22:35,109 --> 00:22:37,820
that the audience would say,
"This is the best you guys
505
00:22:37,820 --> 00:22:41,615
could come up with?"
I told Vince this.
506
00:22:41,615 --> 00:22:45,076
Everybody loses in this
scenario, everybody loses.
507
00:22:45,076 --> 00:22:47,370
♪
508
00:22:52,208 --> 00:22:54,544
As Bash at the
Beach 2000 begins,
509
00:22:54,544 --> 00:22:57,630
a storyline is in place for
current WCW champion
510
00:22:57,630 --> 00:23:00,884
Jeff Jarrett to take a
dive for Hulk Hogan.
511
00:23:00,884 --> 00:23:02,969
Everyone is ready to
put the plan in motion,
512
00:23:02,969 --> 00:23:06,514
until Jarrett begins
having second thoughts.
513
00:23:06,514 --> 00:23:08,141
When it came down
to match time,
514
00:23:08,141 --> 00:23:13,604
I had a real
overwhelming sense of,
515
00:23:13,604 --> 00:23:15,481
"Do I really wanna do this?
516
00:23:15,481 --> 00:23:19,193
Do I really wanna be
a part of this mess?
517
00:23:19,193 --> 00:23:23,030
Do I really wanna
walk the aisle and
518
00:23:23,030 --> 00:23:25,449
be a part of this finish?"
519
00:23:25,449 --> 00:23:27,701
Those thoughts
went through my mind.
520
00:23:27,701 --> 00:23:31,622
Because my father,
my grandmother,
521
00:23:31,622 --> 00:23:34,832
my outlook on the industry,
that you really only have
522
00:23:34,832 --> 00:23:36,542
one boss and
that's the fans.
523
00:23:36,542 --> 00:23:37,835
[Cheering]
524
00:23:37,835 --> 00:23:39,879
Ladies and gentlemen,
525
00:23:39,879 --> 00:23:42,799
welcome to the year 2000
526
00:23:42,799 --> 00:23:46,803
WCW Bash at the Beach,
527
00:23:46,803 --> 00:23:50,640
and the main event
of the evening...
528
00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:53,392
When they hit my music,
I stayed in the back.
529
00:23:53,392 --> 00:23:54,685
Where's Jarrett?
I mean,
530
00:23:54,685 --> 00:23:56,437
his music has been playing
for well over a minute,
531
00:23:56,437 --> 00:23:58,939
there's no sign of him.
What's going on here?
532
00:23:58,939 --> 00:24:00,690
This is not like
The Chosen One
533
00:24:00,690 --> 00:24:03,860
to stand us up on
a pay per view.
534
00:24:03,860 --> 00:24:05,987
So my music played
quite a while,
535
00:24:05,987 --> 00:24:09,074
I think it looped
two or three times.
536
00:24:09,074 --> 00:24:11,201
And I stayed over in the
little tunnel and
537
00:24:11,201 --> 00:24:12,953
really just
thought through it.
538
00:24:12,953 --> 00:24:16,164
I could take matters into
my own hands and say,
539
00:24:16,164 --> 00:24:19,376
"I'm not doing the dive."
I could, you know,
540
00:24:19,376 --> 00:24:22,545
jump in and make him
punch me around,
541
00:24:22,545 --> 00:24:25,047
and make him give me
a big boot.
542
00:24:25,047 --> 00:24:26,966
What are my real options?
543
00:24:26,966 --> 00:24:30,594
What is gonna protect my
family and my career best?
544
00:24:30,594 --> 00:24:33,180
So much at stake here.
545
00:24:33,180 --> 00:24:36,016
I can't say that I was
legitimately angry.
546
00:24:36,016 --> 00:24:38,936
I can say,
thoroughly disgusted.
547
00:24:38,936 --> 00:24:42,189
And when I finally said,
"Let's get this over with,"
548
00:24:42,189 --> 00:24:44,358
that was where
my head was at.
549
00:24:44,358 --> 00:24:47,235
-Here he is.
-[Cheering]
550
00:24:47,235 --> 00:24:49,946
By the time I headed
down the aisle way,
551
00:24:49,946 --> 00:24:52,115
everything in my
mind was, "Hogan,
552
00:24:52,115 --> 00:24:56,411
you want your creative
control so bad, take it."
553
00:24:56,411 --> 00:24:58,746
You know somethin',
Jeff Jarrett?
554
00:24:58,746 --> 00:25:01,583
You are The Chosen One,
555
00:25:01,583 --> 00:25:04,252
because I have chosen you to
556
00:25:04,252 --> 00:25:06,838
power bomb your ass
through this mat,
557
00:25:06,838 --> 00:25:10,424
so come on down and get
your ass kicked, Jarrett.
558
00:25:10,424 --> 00:25:14,803
Looking across the ring,
and looking at Hulk,
559
00:25:14,803 --> 00:25:18,515
and knowing that he
orchestrated all of this...
560
00:25:18,515 --> 00:25:21,351
I never, ever looked
at him the same way.
561
00:25:21,351 --> 00:25:26,189
[Cheering]
562
00:25:26,189 --> 00:25:28,775
What's Jeff doing?
What's Jeff doing?
563
00:25:28,775 --> 00:25:31,904
[Fans cheering &
shouting]
564
00:25:31,904 --> 00:25:33,988
Russo's talking to him,
what's he saying?
565
00:25:33,988 --> 00:25:38,993
Russo I think told Jarrett to
lay down, what is going on?
566
00:25:38,993 --> 00:25:41,621
Look it, Russo is
holding the belt up like,
567
00:25:41,621 --> 00:25:43,873
"Do you want the belt?"
Pin the man, Jarrett's down!
568
00:25:43,873 --> 00:25:45,666
I don't, and Hogan is
as shocked as we are.
569
00:25:45,666 --> 00:25:47,710
What in the world?
Jeff Jarrett!
570
00:25:51,130 --> 00:25:52,506
There's confusion.
571
00:25:52,506 --> 00:25:55,676
Like, they really don't
know what's going on.
572
00:25:55,676 --> 00:25:58,720
The essence of professional
wrestling through the
573
00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:03,099
generations has been the
ability to blur the lines
574
00:26:03,099 --> 00:26:06,102
between what's not fiction
and what's fiction.
575
00:26:06,102 --> 00:26:08,188
But the old promoter adage,
576
00:26:08,188 --> 00:26:09,940
"You confuse them,
you lose them."
577
00:26:09,940 --> 00:26:13,151
We confused 'em,
and we lost 'em.
578
00:26:13,151 --> 00:26:14,653
This can't be Jeff Jarrett,
579
00:26:14,653 --> 00:26:16,905
a man that grew up
in this sport!
580
00:26:16,905 --> 00:26:19,115
Is there-
what is going on?
581
00:26:19,115 --> 00:26:21,867
He just threw the
world title to Hogan.
582
00:26:21,867 --> 00:26:23,911
What the hell?
Now Russo.
583
00:26:23,911 --> 00:26:25,329
I'll be honest with ya.
584
00:26:25,329 --> 00:26:30,042
All I wanna make sure is
this plan carries out the
585
00:26:30,042 --> 00:26:34,338
exact same way I laid it
out in the trailer.
586
00:26:34,338 --> 00:26:36,840
Jeff laid down,
Hulk Hogan,
587
00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:38,801
you're going home
with your belt.
588
00:26:38,801 --> 00:26:42,346
This is all
part of the story.
589
00:26:42,346 --> 00:26:44,223
Is this your deal, Russo?
590
00:26:44,223 --> 00:26:45,848
[Commentary]
Wow...
591
00:26:45,848 --> 00:26:47,976
That's why this company is
in the damn shape it's in
592
00:26:47,976 --> 00:26:49,978
because of bullshit like this.
593
00:26:49,978 --> 00:26:52,397
[Cheering]
594
00:26:52,397 --> 00:26:54,440
Referee counted 1,2,3.
595
00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:57,151
And I rolled out to the ring
and went straight to the back.
596
00:26:57,151 --> 00:26:59,612
[Cheering]
597
00:26:59,612 --> 00:27:02,657
My God, this is
real life. 1,2,3.
598
00:27:02,657 --> 00:27:04,951
[Bell Tolling]
599
00:27:04,951 --> 00:27:06,828
Ladies and gentlemen,
that is not something
600
00:27:06,828 --> 00:27:09,830
they go over with us at the
production meeting.
601
00:27:09,830 --> 00:27:12,582
No, there are swerves
and there are swerves.
602
00:27:12,582 --> 00:27:15,002
We've all been swerved.
603
00:27:15,002 --> 00:27:17,421
And we went forward
exactly the way Hulk
604
00:27:17,421 --> 00:27:18,714
wanted to go forward.
605
00:27:18,714 --> 00:27:21,883
The audience believed that
Hulk Hogan was pissed,
606
00:27:21,883 --> 00:27:24,386
and he took the belt
and he left the building.
607
00:27:24,386 --> 00:27:26,138
It went according to plan.
608
00:27:26,138 --> 00:27:28,390
We jump in the limo,
609
00:27:28,390 --> 00:27:31,101
we leave the arena
with the belt,
610
00:27:31,101 --> 00:27:34,145
we go to the airport.
611
00:27:34,145 --> 00:27:35,646
We're on the plane,
612
00:27:35,646 --> 00:27:39,483
we're high five-ing,
cracking a beer, laughing.
613
00:27:39,483 --> 00:27:41,444
Everything went the
way we wanted it to go.
614
00:27:41,444 --> 00:27:43,529
As Bischoff and Hogan
leave the arena
615
00:27:43,529 --> 00:27:45,197
the show continues,
616
00:27:45,197 --> 00:27:48,034
but what happens next will be
debated by wrestling fans and
617
00:27:48,034 --> 00:27:51,996
insiders for decades to come,
as Vince Russo
618
00:27:51,996 --> 00:27:54,331
takes matters into
his own hands.
619
00:27:54,331 --> 00:27:55,791
Well,
here's Mr. Russo now.
620
00:27:55,791 --> 00:27:57,293
What the hell is next?
621
00:27:57,293 --> 00:27:59,794
30 minutes later
the plane lands,
622
00:27:59,794 --> 00:28:02,922
and all of a sudden Hogan's
phone is blowing up.
623
00:28:02,922 --> 00:28:06,426
♪
624
00:28:06,426 --> 00:28:08,178
And so is mine.
625
00:28:08,178 --> 00:28:09,137
Russo went out and
626
00:28:09,137 --> 00:28:13,683
cut this scathing promo
and buried Hulk.
627
00:28:13,683 --> 00:28:16,019
This was like their
big, great swerve,
628
00:28:16,019 --> 00:28:19,481
that somehow turned real when
Russo does the promo
629
00:28:19,481 --> 00:28:21,983
later and things end up
getting worse.
630
00:28:21,983 --> 00:28:23,901
There's only one way for me
to do this and
631
00:28:23,901 --> 00:28:26,779
that's for me to
tell it like it is.
632
00:28:26,779 --> 00:28:28,072
You know, bro, again,
633
00:28:28,072 --> 00:28:30,532
these are the things
people hate me for.
634
00:28:30,532 --> 00:28:32,868
♪
635
00:28:38,290 --> 00:28:40,834
As agreed upon before
the show even started,
636
00:28:40,834 --> 00:28:42,795
after Jeff Jarrett
takes a dive,
637
00:28:42,795 --> 00:28:45,339
Hulk leaves the
building with the belt,
638
00:28:45,339 --> 00:28:48,841
enraging and confusing
the WCW audience.
639
00:28:48,841 --> 00:28:51,552
Now, to the surprise
of everyone,
640
00:28:51,552 --> 00:28:54,263
Vince Russo makes his
way out to the ring.
641
00:28:54,263 --> 00:28:55,765
Well, here's
Mr. Russo now.
642
00:28:55,765 --> 00:28:57,850
-What the hell is next?
-Now what?
643
00:28:57,850 --> 00:28:59,102
I don't know.
644
00:28:59,102 --> 00:29:03,272
Maybe Russo can explain to
the world what we have seen.
645
00:29:03,272 --> 00:29:07,110
My entire life, every promo
I've ever cut...
646
00:29:07,110 --> 00:29:09,403
There's only one way for me
to do this and
647
00:29:09,403 --> 00:29:12,239
that's for me to
tell it like it is.
648
00:29:12,239 --> 00:29:15,075
I don't know what
I'm going to say.
649
00:29:15,075 --> 00:29:18,078
I am in the moment.
650
00:29:18,078 --> 00:29:21,456
That's real, and that's
what people believe.
651
00:29:21,456 --> 00:29:23,041
Here's where the story is.
652
00:29:23,041 --> 00:29:25,127
Here's where my character is.
653
00:29:25,127 --> 00:29:26,253
Go.
654
00:29:26,253 --> 00:29:29,047
Let me tell you people what
happened out here
655
00:29:29,047 --> 00:29:30,715
in this ring tonight.
656
00:29:30,715 --> 00:29:34,344
All day long I'm playing
politics with Hulk Hogan,
657
00:29:34,344 --> 00:29:36,887
because Hulk Hogan,
tonight,
658
00:29:36,887 --> 00:29:42,268
wants to play his
creative control card.
659
00:29:42,268 --> 00:29:46,897
And to Hulk Hogan that
meant that tonight
660
00:29:46,897 --> 00:29:51,193
in the middle of this ring,
when he knew it was bullshit,
661
00:29:51,193 --> 00:29:53,612
he beats Jeff Jarrett.
662
00:29:53,612 --> 00:29:55,322
Because of Russo's
crazy booking style
663
00:29:55,322 --> 00:29:57,408
we're all like,
"Is this the plan?
664
00:29:57,408 --> 00:29:58,783
Are they working us?
665
00:29:58,783 --> 00:30:00,743
If this was the plan,
it's stupid,
666
00:30:00,743 --> 00:30:02,662
and if it's not the plan,
it's even stupider."
667
00:30:02,662 --> 00:30:03,580
We're all just sitting
there going,
668
00:30:03,580 --> 00:30:05,456
"What the hell is going on?"
669
00:30:05,456 --> 00:30:08,126
And let me tell you who
doesn't give a shit about
670
00:30:08,126 --> 00:30:13,131
this company, that goddamn
politician Hulk Hogan.
671
00:30:13,131 --> 00:30:16,426
Hogan got his belt and
he went the hell home,
672
00:30:16,426 --> 00:30:19,888
and I promise everybody or
else I'll go in the goddamn
673
00:30:19,888 --> 00:30:24,474
grave, you will never see
that piece of shit again.
674
00:30:24,474 --> 00:30:26,226
Adding to the confusion
of the moment,
675
00:30:26,226 --> 00:30:30,230
Russo shocks the crowd by
announcing a new main event.
676
00:30:30,230 --> 00:30:34,568
Hulk Hogan now
has the WCW belt.
677
00:30:34,568 --> 00:30:37,196
That belt don't mean shit!
678
00:30:37,196 --> 00:30:41,158
Jeff Jarrett is still the
official WCW champion and
679
00:30:41,158 --> 00:30:45,370
he will defend that title
tonight in this ring
680
00:30:45,370 --> 00:30:48,080
against Booker T,
681
00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:51,918
who for 14 years
has been busting his ass
682
00:30:51,918 --> 00:30:55,171
in WCW and can't get
a goddamn break,
683
00:30:55,171 --> 00:30:57,298
because of the
Hulk Hogan.
684
00:30:57,298 --> 00:31:00,343
There were real emotions
685
00:31:00,343 --> 00:31:03,763
being fuelled
during that promo
686
00:31:03,763 --> 00:31:06,599
because I had it up to here
with the wrestling shit.
687
00:31:06,599 --> 00:31:07,892
I really did, bro.
688
00:31:07,892 --> 00:31:10,061
I was over and I
was done with it.
689
00:31:10,061 --> 00:31:12,437
[Cheering]
690
00:31:12,437 --> 00:31:15,315
And Hogan, you big bald
son of a bitch,
691
00:31:15,315 --> 00:31:17,359
kiss my ass.
692
00:31:17,359 --> 00:31:20,111
[Cheering]
693
00:31:20,111 --> 00:31:22,280
♪
694
00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:23,907
That was...
that was not on the formats,
695
00:31:23,907 --> 00:31:25,617
that was not in the
production meeting,
696
00:31:25,617 --> 00:31:27,911
that was nowhere to be found
anywhere until this.
697
00:31:27,911 --> 00:31:30,872
We do have Booker T now
against Jeff Jarrett
698
00:31:30,872 --> 00:31:32,791
for the WCW title.
699
00:31:32,791 --> 00:31:36,001
That was just booked,
that's added to tonight.
700
00:31:36,001 --> 00:31:39,713
My plan for the main event,
Booker T beats Jeff Jarrett
701
00:31:39,713 --> 00:31:42,508
and becomes the WCW World
Heavyweight Champion.
702
00:31:42,508 --> 00:31:44,093
Booker doesn't see Jarrett.
703
00:31:44,093 --> 00:31:47,429
[Shouting &
cheering]
704
00:31:47,429 --> 00:31:50,140
So, Hogan, congratulations
enjoy the title,
705
00:31:50,140 --> 00:31:51,267
that's the fake title.
706
00:31:51,267 --> 00:31:53,352
The real title is gonna
be represented
707
00:31:53,352 --> 00:31:55,020
in the match with Jarrett.
708
00:31:55,020 --> 00:31:56,438
Booker goes over.
709
00:31:56,438 --> 00:31:58,816
We've got a new champion!
Oh my God!
710
00:31:58,816 --> 00:32:01,567
Booker T is the
world champion!
711
00:32:01,567 --> 00:32:03,278
Booker T is the champ!
712
00:32:03,278 --> 00:32:08,825
Oh my God, bro, I knew Hulk
was going to be pissed.
713
00:32:08,825 --> 00:32:13,913
Everybody is
believing this 1000%,
714
00:32:13,913 --> 00:32:16,374
and all I'm reading is,
715
00:32:16,374 --> 00:32:19,711
"Vince Russo finally put
Hulk Hogan in his place.
716
00:32:19,711 --> 00:32:22,630
Vince Russo finally told
Hulk Hogan
717
00:32:22,630 --> 00:32:25,090
what should have been
said to him years ago."
718
00:32:25,090 --> 00:32:27,342
I'm reading this and
I'm saying,
719
00:32:27,342 --> 00:32:29,928
"He is going to have
720
00:32:29,928 --> 00:32:34,141
a severe problem with it."
721
00:32:34,141 --> 00:32:38,103
[Eric] When Hulk gets really,
really angry...
722
00:32:38,103 --> 00:32:40,397
he gets very quiet.
723
00:32:40,397 --> 00:32:42,232
Like,
when he stops talking,
724
00:32:42,232 --> 00:32:44,735
that's when you need to
start worrying.
725
00:32:44,735 --> 00:32:49,155
And he got real quiet after
that, like, real quiet.
726
00:32:49,155 --> 00:32:51,949
Russo claims he pitched this
entire storyline to Hulk and
727
00:32:51,949 --> 00:32:55,411
Eric in the trailer,
and that they agreed.
728
00:32:55,411 --> 00:32:59,332
Every single thing on
that show was
729
00:32:59,332 --> 00:33:02,084
what was discussed
in that trailer.
730
00:33:02,084 --> 00:33:03,294
Everything.
731
00:33:03,294 --> 00:33:05,838
From Jarrett laying down,
to them leaving,
732
00:33:05,838 --> 00:33:07,923
to me cutting the promo,
733
00:33:07,923 --> 00:33:10,634
to Booker T winning the
title at the end.
734
00:33:10,634 --> 00:33:14,220
It was exactly the way
I laid it out to
735
00:33:14,220 --> 00:33:15,680
Hogan in the trailer.
736
00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:17,599
That was never my plan.
737
00:33:17,599 --> 00:33:20,518
I guarantee you it wasn't
Hulk Hogan's plan.
738
00:33:20,518 --> 00:33:23,480
And, by the way, Hulk Hogan
had creative control,
739
00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:26,441
and we certainly didn't know
that Booker T was gonna
740
00:33:26,441 --> 00:33:28,902
walk out as the
world champion.
741
00:33:28,902 --> 00:33:31,571
Because Hulk Hogan had that
world title and was going to
742
00:33:31,571 --> 00:33:34,366
bring it back in October
at Halloween Havoc.
743
00:33:34,366 --> 00:33:35,824
That was the plan.
744
00:33:35,824 --> 00:33:38,327
Oh my God, that was
part of the plan!
745
00:33:38,327 --> 00:33:40,663
This is a key point.
746
00:33:40,663 --> 00:33:45,751
The reason you have to leave
the building is because
747
00:33:45,751 --> 00:33:48,754
if I go out there and cut a
scathing promo on you,
748
00:33:48,754 --> 00:33:50,422
and you're still
in the building,
749
00:33:50,422 --> 00:33:52,049
you're gonna have
to come kill me.
750
00:33:52,049 --> 00:33:53,175
Russo may believe it,
751
00:33:53,175 --> 00:33:54,593
but that's where
the pathological part of
752
00:33:54,593 --> 00:33:56,845
being a pathological
liar comes in.
753
00:33:56,845 --> 00:33:59,807
None of that was
discussed in advance.
754
00:33:59,807 --> 00:34:02,058
None of that was
approved by me.
755
00:34:02,058 --> 00:34:04,477
None of it was
approved by Hulk Hogan.
756
00:34:04,477 --> 00:34:07,021
It was just the most
unprofessional thing that
757
00:34:07,021 --> 00:34:10,817
I'd ever seen in
30 years of television.
758
00:34:10,817 --> 00:34:13,986
The next morning an incensed
Hogan calls in to a
759
00:34:13,986 --> 00:34:17,323
local Tampa radio show
to rage at Russo.
760
00:34:17,323 --> 00:34:20,451
His anger isn't for show,
it's for real.
761
00:34:48,228 --> 00:34:49,478
Ha!
762
00:34:49,478 --> 00:34:52,440
Did I know that Hulk Hogan
was gonna take legal action?
763
00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:55,025
How could you not?
How could you not?
764
00:34:55,025 --> 00:34:57,862
♪
765
00:35:01,949 --> 00:35:04,702
Infuriated by the events
at Bash of the Beach,
766
00:35:04,702 --> 00:35:09,206
Hulk Hogan takes legal action
against Vince Russo and WCW.
767
00:35:09,206 --> 00:35:13,001
Because Hulk Hogan
tonight wants to play
768
00:35:13,001 --> 00:35:16,171
his creative control card.
769
00:35:16,171 --> 00:35:18,506
Hogan files lawsuits
for defamation and
770
00:35:18,506 --> 00:35:20,800
breach of contract,
asserting that
771
00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:23,178
Russo's off-script tirade
was a part of
772
00:35:23,178 --> 00:35:24,929
the match outcome,
773
00:35:24,929 --> 00:35:27,932
and violated his
creative control clause.
774
00:35:27,932 --> 00:35:30,226
I believe Hogan
felt double crossed,
775
00:35:30,226 --> 00:35:33,188
and whether Russo actually
double crossed him,
776
00:35:33,188 --> 00:35:34,689
or he just got carried away
and said shit
777
00:35:34,689 --> 00:35:36,274
he shouldn't have,
I have no idea.
778
00:35:36,274 --> 00:35:40,277
But it's like, okay,
you don't file lawsuits
779
00:35:40,277 --> 00:35:42,613
if this is just part
of a storyline.
780
00:35:42,613 --> 00:35:46,366
It gets to a judge and
the judge basically says,
781
00:35:46,366 --> 00:35:49,077
"Let me get this straight.
This is a wrestling show.
782
00:35:49,077 --> 00:35:52,206
Vince Russo is in
a wrestling ring."
783
00:35:52,206 --> 00:35:57,211
"He is cutting a promo
on a wrestling character,
784
00:35:57,211 --> 00:36:00,631
where is the defamation
of character?"
785
00:36:00,631 --> 00:36:02,423
Like, Hulk, you're really
suing him for this?
786
00:36:02,423 --> 00:36:03,424
Shut up.
787
00:36:03,424 --> 00:36:05,676
I would not have been a
good witness for that.
788
00:36:05,676 --> 00:36:07,386
[Sighing]
Strange times.
789
00:36:07,386 --> 00:36:09,222
[Laughing]
790
00:36:09,222 --> 00:36:12,808
I am cutting my promo
on Hulk Hogan,
791
00:36:12,808 --> 00:36:16,854
not Terry Bollea.
This is a story.
792
00:36:16,854 --> 00:36:21,817
Vince Russo is a character,
Hulk Hogan is a character.
793
00:36:21,817 --> 00:36:25,529
If Vince Russo takes the
position that because he was
794
00:36:25,529 --> 00:36:30,158
performing it as a character
that took creative liberties
795
00:36:30,158 --> 00:36:33,453
with another professional,
that that somehow makes it
796
00:36:33,453 --> 00:36:39,626
legal and okay, is a reflection
of the man's ignorance.
797
00:36:39,626 --> 00:36:42,128
He's got more than a problem
with facts and truth,
798
00:36:42,128 --> 00:36:44,589
he's got a problem
with reality.
799
00:36:44,589 --> 00:36:47,467
And the first judge
threw it out.
800
00:36:47,467 --> 00:36:50,427
They appealed it, and it
went to a second judge.
801
00:36:50,427 --> 00:36:51,554
First of all, I don't think
that it went to
802
00:36:51,554 --> 00:36:53,764
multiple courts
to begin with.
803
00:36:53,764 --> 00:36:56,225
It's not like they took it
to the Supreme Court
804
00:36:56,225 --> 00:36:58,018
for crying out loud.
805
00:36:58,018 --> 00:37:02,022
The sworn depositions reveal
a key piece of information-
806
00:37:02,022 --> 00:37:04,733
That two days prior
to Bash at the Beach,
807
00:37:04,733 --> 00:37:08,279
a fax was sent to
the WCW head office.
808
00:37:08,279 --> 00:37:13,324
I found out after the
WCW office is closed,
809
00:37:13,324 --> 00:37:16,077
Hulk Hogan's attorney
810
00:37:16,077 --> 00:37:20,748
faxes a letter
to the WCW office
811
00:37:20,748 --> 00:37:25,878
saying, "Hulk Hogan is not
approving that script."
812
00:37:25,878 --> 00:37:29,173
I have no idea of this.
813
00:37:29,173 --> 00:37:30,967
Here's why that
doesn't hold up.
814
00:37:30,967 --> 00:37:33,678
It was never a discussion
or a debate
815
00:37:33,678 --> 00:37:36,264
between Hulk and
me and Russo,
816
00:37:36,264 --> 00:37:38,515
as to whether or not
we were going to do
817
00:37:38,515 --> 00:37:41,351
something other than what
Hulk and I had laid out.
818
00:37:41,351 --> 00:37:44,813
It wasn't up for debate,
therefore why would...
819
00:37:44,813 --> 00:37:48,734
why would there be this
after hours fax excuse?
820
00:37:48,734 --> 00:37:51,445
I mean, I'm trying to decide
between two dishonest people,
821
00:37:51,445 --> 00:37:53,780
discussing something
from twenty years ago,
822
00:37:53,780 --> 00:37:55,532
to do with a fax.
823
00:37:55,532 --> 00:37:57,409
Yeah, I don't remember
a fax, but, you know,
824
00:37:57,409 --> 00:38:00,287
I never heard the fax story.
I'll just say that.
825
00:38:00,287 --> 00:38:03,623
♪
826
00:38:03,623 --> 00:38:06,834
♪
827
00:38:06,834 --> 00:38:10,046
The fax exposes Hulk
Hogan's real intentions
828
00:38:10,046 --> 00:38:13,716
to maximize the full strength
of his creative control,
829
00:38:13,716 --> 00:38:17,261
and refuse any storyline
Russo proposed.
830
00:38:17,261 --> 00:38:19,221
Russo triumphs
in the courtroom,
831
00:38:19,221 --> 00:38:22,099
as an appeals court affirms
that fictional characters
832
00:38:22,099 --> 00:38:24,018
cannot be defamed.
833
00:38:24,018 --> 00:38:26,645
However, it's Hogan who
emerges victorious
834
00:38:26,645 --> 00:38:29,230
in his battle against WCW.
835
00:38:29,230 --> 00:38:32,484
Hulk made the decision the
night of Bash at the Beach
836
00:38:32,484 --> 00:38:35,862
that, "I probably
will not get renewed,
837
00:38:35,862 --> 00:38:39,783
so how can I get another
paycheque from
838
00:38:39,783 --> 00:38:42,118
AOL Time Warner?"
And that's through litigation.
839
00:38:50,209 --> 00:38:52,378
Well, Hulk Hogan was a key
to building the company,
840
00:38:52,378 --> 00:38:54,046
and he obviously had
the biggest name,
841
00:38:54,046 --> 00:38:56,674
but nothing is forever, and
he'd been there too long and
842
00:38:56,674 --> 00:38:58,092
he became the
face of failure.
843
00:38:58,092 --> 00:39:01,178
So, at that point he was
getting paid so much,
844
00:39:01,178 --> 00:39:04,223
but he couldn't draw ratings
to a great degree anymore,
845
00:39:04,223 --> 00:39:06,809
and people weren't going to
go and pay to see Hulk Hogan
846
00:39:06,809 --> 00:39:09,144
matches that they'd seen
for all those years.
847
00:39:09,144 --> 00:39:11,105
There was really nothing
left to do with him.
848
00:39:11,105 --> 00:39:14,315
[Eric] And then you have
scumbags like Dave Meltzer,
849
00:39:14,315 --> 00:39:17,193
who is nothing more
than a useful idiot.
850
00:39:17,193 --> 00:39:18,861
Even though he calls
himself a journalist,
851
00:39:18,861 --> 00:39:21,364
Dave Meltzer to this day
hates Hulk Hogan.
852
00:39:21,364 --> 00:39:24,033
What Hulk Hogan was trying
to achieve that night
853
00:39:24,033 --> 00:39:26,327
remains clouded
in uncertainty.
854
00:39:26,327 --> 00:39:28,287
You know, I've asked
myself that through the years.
855
00:39:28,287 --> 00:39:30,206
What was Hogan's vision?
856
00:39:30,206 --> 00:39:32,875
What was the upside?
What was the ultimate plan?
857
00:39:32,875 --> 00:39:35,545
Was it to create so
much controversy,
858
00:39:35,545 --> 00:39:37,588
or to get eyeballs
on the product?
859
00:39:37,588 --> 00:39:40,799
Was it to be his version of
a Montreal Screw Job,
860
00:39:40,799 --> 00:39:43,093
or his version of a...
861
00:39:43,093 --> 00:39:46,096
of a publicity stunt?
I don't know.
862
00:39:46,096 --> 00:39:47,931
We certainly know
the results of it,
863
00:39:47,931 --> 00:39:51,935
but I have no idea
what his vision was.
864
00:39:51,935 --> 00:39:53,729
And Turner settled.
I mean-
865
00:39:53,729 --> 00:39:56,356
[Laughing]
This is, this is fun.
866
00:39:56,356 --> 00:39:59,401
Because I sat with Hulk and
his attorney Henry Holmes
867
00:39:59,401 --> 00:40:01,111
they day that
they settled that.
868
00:40:01,111 --> 00:40:03,696
They took me out to dinner
and told me what happened.
869
00:40:03,696 --> 00:40:05,281
They never gave me
the amount,
870
00:40:05,281 --> 00:40:09,535
that was confidential,
but I know it was
871
00:40:09,535 --> 00:40:13,706
well, well into
seven figures.
872
00:40:13,706 --> 00:40:16,792
Some folks play chess while
others are playing checkers.
873
00:40:16,792 --> 00:40:18,502
The night at
Bash at the Beach,
874
00:40:18,502 --> 00:40:20,880
Hulk decided to
start playing chess,
875
00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:23,382
and he had the patience,
and he cashed out.
876
00:40:23,382 --> 00:40:26,010
♪
877
00:40:30,180 --> 00:40:31,222
What's Jeff doing?
878
00:40:31,222 --> 00:40:34,225
Russo I think told Jarrett
to lay down, what's going on?
879
00:40:34,225 --> 00:40:36,978
The facts of what actually
went down at
880
00:40:36,978 --> 00:40:40,607
Bash at the Beach 2000
will forever be murky.
881
00:40:40,607 --> 00:40:42,525
But what was clear
to fans that night
882
00:40:42,525 --> 00:40:45,361
was that the chaos and
confusion only
883
00:40:45,361 --> 00:40:48,114
underscored the disorder
and disintegration
884
00:40:48,114 --> 00:40:50,158
at the heart of the company.
885
00:40:50,158 --> 00:40:52,034
It was the reality the
night this happened,
886
00:40:52,034 --> 00:40:54,828
and it's the reality as I
sit here today saying this.
887
00:40:54,828 --> 00:40:58,123
In a business that
gave him everything,
888
00:40:58,123 --> 00:41:00,375
and that's what
he gave back.
889
00:41:00,375 --> 00:41:04,588
It's about the most
self-centred, egotistical,
890
00:41:04,588 --> 00:41:09,468
power playing move,
that only benefitted Hulk.
891
00:41:09,468 --> 00:41:11,762
And that's the reality.
892
00:41:11,762 --> 00:41:15,264
But I mean as far as a
storyline based on
893
00:41:15,264 --> 00:41:17,225
what they were
doing at the time,
894
00:41:17,225 --> 00:41:19,268
it was something that
would get people talking,
895
00:41:19,268 --> 00:41:21,062
and could've built
to something.
896
00:41:21,062 --> 00:41:22,814
So I did like
Booker T being champion,
897
00:41:22,814 --> 00:41:24,190
I thought that was cool.
You know,
898
00:41:24,190 --> 00:41:26,567
it's not same old same old
Hulk Hogan champion, right?
899
00:41:26,567 --> 00:41:29,153
So, I guess I did like that.
900
00:41:29,153 --> 00:41:30,530
I do remember that.
You know thinking, "Ah."
901
00:41:30,530 --> 00:41:32,532
You know, "At least it's
something new."
902
00:41:32,532 --> 00:41:33,699
[Cheering]
903
00:41:33,699 --> 00:41:35,868
And let me tell you who
doesn't give a shit about
904
00:41:35,868 --> 00:41:40,705
this company, that goddamn
politician Hulk Hogan.
905
00:41:40,705 --> 00:41:45,585
It was destined for
failure from the beginning.
906
00:41:45,585 --> 00:41:47,212
At the end of it all,
907
00:41:47,212 --> 00:41:48,672
I don't think that
Bash on the Beach
908
00:41:48,672 --> 00:41:51,716
was the nail in
the coffin for WCW.
909
00:41:51,716 --> 00:41:53,552
You see what is
says right here?
910
00:41:53,552 --> 00:41:56,263
This is my ass,
if you will.
911
00:41:56,263 --> 00:41:57,264
You know what I mean?
It was like
912
00:41:57,264 --> 00:41:58,306
the gig was already up.
913
00:41:58,306 --> 00:41:59,975
It was just kind of a
floundering company.
914
00:41:59,975 --> 00:42:03,811
WCW was a star that
became a supernova,
915
00:42:03,811 --> 00:42:06,313
and then burned itself out.
916
00:42:06,313 --> 00:42:10,109
In its dying days, WCW is
snapped up by its longtime
917
00:42:10,109 --> 00:42:13,529
arch-rival Vince McMahon
and the WWF,
918
00:42:13,529 --> 00:42:16,907
despite having an attractive
offer on the table from
919
00:42:16,907 --> 00:42:18,409
a venture capital firm,
920
00:42:18,409 --> 00:42:21,328
spearheaded by
Eric Bischoff.
921
00:42:21,328 --> 00:42:24,832
The deal for us to purchase
WCW was for $67 million,
922
00:42:24,832 --> 00:42:28,459
we buy all the assets,
and we get placement
923
00:42:28,459 --> 00:42:30,837
on Monday nights and
Thursday nights.
924
00:42:30,837 --> 00:42:32,547
That was our deal.
925
00:42:32,547 --> 00:42:34,299
And I get a phone call.
926
00:42:34,299 --> 00:42:36,134
They said,
"Eric, it's done."
927
00:42:36,134 --> 00:42:38,261
I thought he meant
the deal was done.
928
00:42:38,261 --> 00:42:40,930
Like, "Pew!" We own a
wrestling company.
929
00:42:40,930 --> 00:42:43,349
I'm about ready to jump up
and start dancing.
930
00:42:43,349 --> 00:42:44,601
I said,
"You mean it's done?"
931
00:42:44,601 --> 00:42:45,935
He goes, "No, Eric,
you don't get it.
932
00:42:45,935 --> 00:42:49,230
It's over,
there's no deal.
933
00:42:49,230 --> 00:42:51,398
Turner took it off the table."
934
00:42:51,398 --> 00:42:54,401
It took a minute for
that to sink in.
935
00:42:54,401 --> 00:42:56,278
It was a fire sale
at the end.
936
00:42:56,278 --> 00:42:57,905
Time Warner wanted to
get rid of wrestling.
937
00:42:57,905 --> 00:43:01,408
I think it was like $2.5
million for the actual WCW,
938
00:43:01,408 --> 00:43:03,994
and I think it was $1.7
million more for, um,
939
00:43:03,994 --> 00:43:05,120
the tape library.
940
00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:07,164
It was definitely the
equivalent of, um,
941
00:43:07,164 --> 00:43:09,625
you know, buying
Manhattan for $25.
942
00:43:09,625 --> 00:43:10,918
That's right.
943
00:43:10,918 --> 00:43:15,047
I own WCW.
944
00:43:15,047 --> 00:43:16,839
[Eric]
I have zero regrets, man.
945
00:43:16,839 --> 00:43:18,341
I have zero regrets.
946
00:43:18,341 --> 00:43:20,259
You know, regret to me
is a negative thing,
947
00:43:20,259 --> 00:43:22,053
it's like baggage.
948
00:43:22,053 --> 00:43:25,556
I try not to carry any
baggage with me at all.
949
00:43:25,556 --> 00:43:28,726
[Jeff] I've said this
about Vince Russo.
950
00:43:28,726 --> 00:43:32,897
Vince is a guy who's very
passionate, like a lot of us,
951
00:43:32,897 --> 00:43:35,691
and does what he thinks
952
00:43:35,691 --> 00:43:38,903
the viewer wants...
953
00:43:38,903 --> 00:43:41,196
to watch.
954
00:43:41,196 --> 00:43:44,199
And he's had successes
and he's had failures,
955
00:43:44,199 --> 00:43:46,701
like all of us.
956
00:43:46,701 --> 00:43:49,579
Do you know how little
this shit matters?
957
00:43:49,579 --> 00:43:53,416
It is a form of entertainment.
958
00:43:53,416 --> 00:43:55,710
At the end of the day
959
00:43:55,710 --> 00:43:59,631
I don't hate any of
these people, bro.
960
00:43:59,631 --> 00:44:02,092
This was a job.
961
00:44:02,092 --> 00:44:04,343
People ask me all
the time today,
962
00:44:04,343 --> 00:44:05,761
"Vince, what is your advice
963
00:44:05,761 --> 00:44:07,304
to get into the
wrestling business"?
964
00:44:07,304 --> 00:44:09,682
And I tell them, "Don't."
965
00:44:09,732 --> 00:44:14,282
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