1 00:00:04,210 --> 00:00:07,290 [Eric] I had no idea how big it was going to be. 2 00:00:07,290 --> 00:00:11,260 I didn't know what the NWO was about to become. 3 00:00:11,260 --> 00:00:12,840 That leg drop was 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,510 WCW's lift off into the future. 5 00:00:15,510 --> 00:00:18,470 If you want surprises, this is where you come. 6 00:00:18,470 --> 00:00:20,970 Our show is live, and you never know 7 00:00:20,970 --> 00:00:22,640 what's gonna happen here. 8 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,810 We were the rated show forever. 9 00:00:24,810 --> 00:00:26,360 The NWO! 10 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:28,820 We already knew that we were running thin. 11 00:00:28,820 --> 00:00:30,110 [Laughing] 12 00:00:30,110 --> 00:00:32,030 And I think it showed. 13 00:00:32,030 --> 00:00:34,570 Did I like it? ---- no! 14 00:00:34,570 --> 00:00:36,530 [Konnan] Bro, 40,000 people, 15 00:00:36,530 --> 00:00:37,910 and that's what you're giving them? 16 00:00:37,910 --> 00:00:41,500 You can't pretend that people weren't mad. 17 00:00:41,500 --> 00:00:43,910 [Bret] Idiots everywhere. It's just... 18 00:00:43,910 --> 00:00:46,330 mindboggling. 19 00:00:46,330 --> 00:00:48,000 [Brad] Whenever you're leading a night, 20 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:49,920 and now you're not leading a night, 21 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:51,340 there is reason for concern. 22 00:00:51,340 --> 00:00:54,090 [Commentary] WCW is literally unraveling here. 23 00:00:54,090 --> 00:00:55,720 [Eric] My wife, she looked at me like, 24 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,800 "What are you doing here?" And I said... 25 00:00:57,800 --> 00:00:59,100 "I got fired." 26 00:00:59,100 --> 00:01:00,930 Before our very eyes, it's falling apart. 27 00:01:00,930 --> 00:01:04,020 Ted Turner hired idiots to run a billion-dollar company 28 00:01:04,020 --> 00:01:05,730 and, that was his mistake. 29 00:01:05,730 --> 00:01:07,270 [Overlapping voices] 30 00:01:07,270 --> 00:01:09,150 You cannot sweep this under the rug! 31 00:01:09,150 --> 00:01:11,020 ...this is a ----ing television show. 32 00:01:11,020 --> 00:01:12,230 ...and I don't understand what he's doing. 33 00:01:12,230 --> 00:01:14,650 The real reason men commit lies... 34 00:01:14,650 --> 00:01:18,240 ♪ [Extended flatlining beep] ♪ 35 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,660 ♪ [Dramatic instrumental] ♪ 36 00:01:20,660 --> 00:01:22,830 A lot of changes, ladies and gentlemen, 37 00:01:22,830 --> 00:01:24,620 at World Championship Wrestling... 38 00:01:24,620 --> 00:01:26,960 over the last 36 hours. 39 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:28,710 ♪ 40 00:01:28,710 --> 00:01:31,550 WCW was one of many things 41 00:01:31,550 --> 00:01:34,090 that I was responsible for, 42 00:01:34,090 --> 00:01:36,170 and it was the thing that I liked the least. 43 00:01:36,170 --> 00:01:37,970 [Match bell ringing] 44 00:01:37,970 --> 00:01:40,800 Eric is not, is not there anymore. 45 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,390 You know, he was the glue that held it together. 46 00:01:43,390 --> 00:01:45,350 I was running it at this point. 47 00:01:45,350 --> 00:01:47,230 I didn't want to run it. 48 00:01:47,230 --> 00:01:49,650 And I wanted somebody to run it for me. 49 00:01:49,650 --> 00:01:51,230 And a little bit different... 50 00:01:51,230 --> 00:01:54,820 And, Bill Busch was the guy who was sort of in place 51 00:01:54,820 --> 00:01:58,070 as an interim when Eric was no longer there. 52 00:01:58,070 --> 00:02:02,240 And, he was the acting COO, in a sense. 53 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,990 About a month after Eric had departed, 54 00:02:04,990 --> 00:02:08,670 Bill Busch makes his first major move in running the 55 00:02:08,670 --> 00:02:10,540 day-to-day operations of the company, 56 00:02:10,540 --> 00:02:12,340 which is securing the services of the 57 00:02:12,340 --> 00:02:15,550 WWF's creative team. 58 00:02:15,550 --> 00:02:17,630 Busch, he called me and said, 59 00:02:17,630 --> 00:02:20,300 "We've made the best hiring decision ever." 60 00:02:20,300 --> 00:02:21,800 ♪ 61 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,560 He said, "We hired Vince Russo." 62 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:26,810 Bischoff was gone, and I remember Bill Busch 63 00:02:26,810 --> 00:02:28,850 telling me they were gonna bring Vince Russo in. 64 00:02:28,850 --> 00:02:31,400 He supposedly was some kind of... 65 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,150 genius, and now we've lured him from WWF, 66 00:02:35,150 --> 00:02:38,150 and now we've got their genius. 67 00:02:38,150 --> 00:02:40,660 When Vince Russo made the jump to WCW to run 68 00:02:40,660 --> 00:02:44,120 that entire ship, I remember thinking... 69 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,500 Good for him, great. 70 00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:48,620 This is the world of professional wrestling. 71 00:02:48,620 --> 00:02:51,460 This shit happens all the time. 72 00:02:51,460 --> 00:02:54,540 ♪ 73 00:02:54,540 --> 00:02:57,420 I was excited when I heard Vince was coming in. 74 00:02:57,420 --> 00:02:59,260 ♪ 75 00:02:59,260 --> 00:03:03,390 Good. Finally, like, something new here. 76 00:03:03,390 --> 00:03:05,600 I heard that he was a genius. 77 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:07,270 ♪ 78 00:03:07,270 --> 00:03:10,350 Why would Vince Russo want to leave the WWF and come here? 79 00:03:10,350 --> 00:03:14,440 ♪ 80 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,780 I had a degree in journalism, and I started freelancing 81 00:03:17,780 --> 00:03:21,150 for the WWF magazine, where I started writing 82 00:03:21,150 --> 00:03:24,870 maybe about two articles a month. 83 00:03:24,870 --> 00:03:27,580 I would sit in while they were writing the television, 84 00:03:27,580 --> 00:03:30,080 and it was so bad that I started writing 85 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:31,870 my own angles in the magazine that had 86 00:03:31,870 --> 00:03:34,710 nothing to do with the TV show. 87 00:03:34,710 --> 00:03:37,250 And, I get a call from Vince McMahon's assistant. 88 00:03:37,250 --> 00:03:38,710 [Phone ringing] 89 00:03:38,710 --> 00:03:41,680 "Vince wants to see you up in his office immediately." 90 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:43,680 It wasn't even 9 o'clock yet. 91 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,970 He had the WWE Raw Magazine in his hand. 92 00:03:47,970 --> 00:03:50,140 And said, "This is what our 93 00:03:50,140 --> 00:03:53,100 television show needs to be." 94 00:03:53,100 --> 00:03:56,230 I was absolutely shocked. 95 00:03:56,230 --> 00:03:58,690 It got to the point where I was the 96 00:03:58,690 --> 00:04:00,740 head writer of the show. 97 00:04:00,740 --> 00:04:03,410 Then I get to work with Ed Ferrara 98 00:04:03,410 --> 00:04:06,780 who was a bonafide television writer! 99 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,210 Just- it was real. 100 00:04:15,210 --> 00:04:18,590 It was real. You believed it. 101 00:04:18,590 --> 00:04:22,760 There was a sense of danger, like you almost had to 102 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,140 watch it because you didn't know 103 00:04:25,140 --> 00:04:28,100 what they were going to do next. 104 00:04:28,100 --> 00:04:31,730 I was definitely influenced by what WCW was doing 105 00:04:31,730 --> 00:04:33,770 at the time, without a shadow of a doubt. 106 00:04:33,770 --> 00:04:36,980 We were head-to-head, and you had 107 00:04:36,980 --> 00:04:38,900 a lot of people switching back and forth, 108 00:04:38,900 --> 00:04:40,650 back and forth, back and forth. 109 00:04:40,650 --> 00:04:42,360 So, the idea is, 110 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,990 you do not give them the opportunity 111 00:04:44,990 --> 00:04:46,530 to change that channel, 112 00:04:46,530 --> 00:04:48,910 because once they change that channel, 113 00:04:48,910 --> 00:04:51,870 if something good is happening on Nitro, 114 00:04:51,870 --> 00:04:54,580 they're never coming back to your show. 115 00:04:54,580 --> 00:04:58,340 It's hard to argue with the objective data, 116 00:04:58,340 --> 00:05:00,550 which show that the WWF actually enjoyed 117 00:05:00,550 --> 00:05:02,210 a tripling of its revenues. 118 00:05:02,210 --> 00:05:05,050 The television ratings went from being anemic to 119 00:05:05,050 --> 00:05:07,510 skyrocketing to levels people didn't think of before. 120 00:05:07,510 --> 00:05:09,220 Absolutely sold out! 121 00:05:09,220 --> 00:05:11,470 The company was selling out arenas left and right. 122 00:05:11,470 --> 00:05:14,060 And, Vince Russo was the head writer of 123 00:05:14,060 --> 00:05:15,560 the WWF during that time frame. 124 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:17,100 ...Excuse me while I kiss the sky. 125 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:18,520 The Summer Of Love... 126 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,770 Vince McMahon was starting another show, Smack Down, 127 00:05:20,770 --> 00:05:23,530 and he had pushed me creatively 128 00:05:23,530 --> 00:05:25,860 beyond my limits. 129 00:05:25,860 --> 00:05:27,820 I had three small kids. 130 00:05:27,820 --> 00:05:29,620 I wasn't seeing them at all. 131 00:05:29,620 --> 00:05:31,830 I honestly believe I was on the verge of 132 00:05:31,830 --> 00:05:33,500 a nervous breakdown. 133 00:05:33,500 --> 00:05:34,830 ♪ 134 00:05:34,830 --> 00:05:38,120 He just expected Ed and I to write a second show, 135 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:39,920 never offered any more money. 136 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:44,260 And, bro, it's like I was building such a close, 137 00:05:44,260 --> 00:05:47,930 tight bond, relationship with Vince that 138 00:05:47,930 --> 00:05:51,760 I started asking myself the question... 139 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,350 "Does this guy care about me as much as I do about him? 140 00:05:55,350 --> 00:05:58,190 Or am I the cash cow that's writing his show?" 141 00:05:58,190 --> 00:06:00,610 I was so burnt out, I broke down and 142 00:06:00,610 --> 00:06:03,610 I cried in Vince's office, okay. 143 00:06:03,610 --> 00:06:06,240 And right then and there- I went right to 144 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:10,740 my office and called my WCW connection. 145 00:06:10,740 --> 00:06:11,990 He made the decision, 146 00:06:11,990 --> 00:06:13,290 what's best for him and his family, 147 00:06:13,290 --> 00:06:15,500 and he went after an opportunity 148 00:06:15,500 --> 00:06:17,250 to go down to WCW, 149 00:06:17,250 --> 00:06:19,040 and you're handed the entire book. 150 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:20,880 Write the story. 151 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,130 There was an awful lot of enthusiasm at that time that 152 00:06:23,130 --> 00:06:25,800 this could be what's needed to give WCW 153 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:27,840 the shot in the arm that it needed. 154 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:30,510 It's a brand-new Monday Nitro! 155 00:06:30,510 --> 00:06:34,140 I looked at WCW as a great challenge, 156 00:06:34,140 --> 00:06:37,100 and what I saw here was I saw a whole breed 157 00:06:37,100 --> 00:06:38,690 of a new blood 158 00:06:38,690 --> 00:06:40,440 that was stuck somewhere in the middle 159 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,110 because for whatever reason, 160 00:06:42,110 --> 00:06:44,730 they couldn't break that "establishment". 161 00:06:44,730 --> 00:06:48,110 And listen, man, the day I walked into that locker room, 162 00:06:48,110 --> 00:06:50,660 I had every mid-carder coming up to me. 163 00:06:50,660 --> 00:06:52,030 I had never met them before. 164 00:06:52,030 --> 00:06:55,120 Bro, I'm talking about like the Malenkos. 165 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,410 Benoits... 166 00:06:57,410 --> 00:06:58,790 And the Konnan. 167 00:06:58,790 --> 00:07:00,830 Unsettling! Here he comes back! 168 00:07:00,830 --> 00:07:04,090 Juventuds and all these great people. 169 00:07:04,090 --> 00:07:07,510 Man, those guys- ah, the Rey Mysterios, 170 00:07:07,510 --> 00:07:09,220 Ultimo Dragons, 171 00:07:09,220 --> 00:07:11,590 all those lucha guys that came in and... 172 00:07:11,590 --> 00:07:13,300 pushing each other to be the best, 173 00:07:13,300 --> 00:07:14,640 pushed me to another level. 174 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,350 We gon' turn this motha out! 175 00:07:17,350 --> 00:07:18,980 Now can you dig it? 176 00:07:18,980 --> 00:07:21,980 There wasn't anybody better in terms of ring skills 177 00:07:21,980 --> 00:07:25,980 than the mid-carders so, you know, I think there was 178 00:07:25,980 --> 00:07:28,940 more talent there than people gave them credit for. 179 00:07:28,940 --> 00:07:31,530 And, I remember locking eyes 180 00:07:31,530 --> 00:07:34,410 with Hogan the first time. 181 00:07:34,410 --> 00:07:36,620 The red and yellow! 182 00:07:36,620 --> 00:07:38,910 You gotta understand, when you're a New Yorker, 183 00:07:38,910 --> 00:07:40,710 there's like a sixth sense. 184 00:07:40,710 --> 00:07:44,580 Like, you just know he did not trust me, bro, 185 00:07:44,580 --> 00:07:47,920 as far as he could throw me, and he was not gonna 186 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:49,760 believe one word that I said. 187 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:51,470 And I'm gonna come out and say it- and I've never 188 00:07:51,470 --> 00:07:54,220 said this publicly before- no doubt in my mind 189 00:07:54,220 --> 00:07:57,470 Bischoff was responsible for a little of this. 190 00:07:57,470 --> 00:08:00,930 I am partially responsible for costing Eric his job. 191 00:08:00,930 --> 00:08:04,230 Eric is gone, but Eric's boys, 192 00:08:04,230 --> 00:08:06,480 the people that he took care of and made rich, 193 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,400 were not in tune with what Russo wanted. 194 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,440 Don't wake a sleeping giant. 195 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:13,450 I was always a fan of Vince's. 196 00:08:13,450 --> 00:08:15,870 I just told him, like, 197 00:08:15,870 --> 00:08:18,280 "You ain't in Kansas anymore." 198 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:20,250 Like, this ain't WWE. 199 00:08:20,250 --> 00:08:22,960 1, 2, 3! 200 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,290 This is some ----ed up shit. 201 00:08:25,290 --> 00:08:28,460 [Shouting] Goldberg! Goldberg! 202 00:08:28,460 --> 00:08:30,920 I had an absolute great plan, and if you go back and 203 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,970 watch the first 3 months, you'll see it. 204 00:08:33,970 --> 00:08:36,340 And, at that time, 205 00:08:36,340 --> 00:08:39,430 Jerry Springer was so hot, 206 00:08:39,430 --> 00:08:42,350 so we always had that on in the background, 207 00:08:42,350 --> 00:08:44,520 and what was Jerry Springer? 208 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:48,610 It was controversy with characters and storyline. 209 00:08:48,610 --> 00:08:51,740 That's what the show was. 210 00:08:51,740 --> 00:08:54,030 And basically, that's what we needed to do. 211 00:08:54,030 --> 00:08:55,280 He hit him with a mummy! 212 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:57,530 Vince Russo's program, everything was quick. 213 00:08:57,530 --> 00:09:00,240 Boom, boom, boom, boom. 214 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:02,750 I tried to stay positive, I was very hopeful. 215 00:09:02,750 --> 00:09:06,250 But it definitely was a shift from a more laid back 216 00:09:06,250 --> 00:09:09,380 sort of atmosphere, and it's more electrified 217 00:09:09,380 --> 00:09:12,340 and, louder, faster, that sort of thing. 218 00:09:12,340 --> 00:09:13,670 [Indistinct shouting] 219 00:09:13,670 --> 00:09:14,840 It definitely was a shift. 220 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:16,090 [Grunting] 221 00:09:16,090 --> 00:09:18,180 [Vince] I know the numbers! 222 00:09:18,180 --> 00:09:20,930 The numbers are on the internet! 223 00:09:20,930 --> 00:09:24,680 And in those three months, the numbers went up- 224 00:09:24,680 --> 00:09:28,190 slightly- but they went up. 225 00:09:28,190 --> 00:09:30,440 To me, it wasn't about wrestling at that point. 226 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,360 It was lots of TandA. 227 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,360 Woo! Alright! 228 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,490 [Dick] He took us in a direction that 229 00:09:37,490 --> 00:09:39,870 even corporate didn't like. 230 00:09:39,870 --> 00:09:41,370 Watch it, Billy. 231 00:09:41,370 --> 00:09:43,290 This is family hour! 232 00:09:43,290 --> 00:09:45,160 It had a little positive effect on the ratings, 233 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:46,460 but not much. 234 00:09:46,460 --> 00:09:48,960 Certainly made it not advertiser friendly. 235 00:09:50,170 --> 00:09:51,290 Crowbar. 236 00:09:51,290 --> 00:09:53,840 [Vince] My job was to 237 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:58,340 make this show the absolute best that 238 00:09:58,340 --> 00:10:01,430 I thought it could be, and to make this show 239 00:10:01,430 --> 00:10:04,470 to not just please wrestling fans, 240 00:10:04,470 --> 00:10:08,270 but to be appealing to an entire wrestling audience. 241 00:10:08,270 --> 00:10:09,690 [Konnan] His thing was like, 242 00:10:09,690 --> 00:10:11,190 we already have a wrestling audience. 243 00:10:11,190 --> 00:10:13,860 Let's get the audience that isn't watching wrestling. 244 00:10:13,860 --> 00:10:16,530 But bro, if you're a casual fan and you're watching 245 00:10:16,530 --> 00:10:18,240 Judy Bagwell on a pole match. 246 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:20,780 ...high above the ring on the forklift now! 247 00:10:20,780 --> 00:10:22,450 Why would you want to watch that, 248 00:10:22,450 --> 00:10:24,790 or a pinata match, or whatever? 249 00:10:24,790 --> 00:10:27,250 He's got the pinata! 250 00:10:27,250 --> 00:10:30,750 This is not WCW. 251 00:10:30,750 --> 00:10:33,840 This is a comedy act. 252 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:36,920 ...meatballs, and we're gonna do it all night. 253 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:39,130 [Booker T] I don't think it was for the fans. 254 00:10:39,130 --> 00:10:40,260 It seemed like, you know, 255 00:10:40,260 --> 00:10:42,550 he was entertaining himself. 256 00:10:42,550 --> 00:10:44,060 Hey, boys! 257 00:10:44,060 --> 00:10:46,140 [Indistinct chatter] 258 00:10:46,140 --> 00:10:48,730 [Indistinct shouting] 259 00:10:48,730 --> 00:10:51,900 Vince Russo was just another idiot. 260 00:10:51,900 --> 00:10:53,570 He's a shit stain. 261 00:10:53,570 --> 00:10:55,480 And I always thought in the back of my mind 262 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,400 that he was there to lead to our ultimate demise. 263 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,780 [Evil voice] When does our journey begin? 264 00:11:01,780 --> 00:11:03,780 On the 7th night. 265 00:11:03,780 --> 00:11:06,080 Maybe a good theory that Vince Russo had 266 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:10,000 decent success at WWE because Vince McMahon 267 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,210 was there to pick out what was good and, 268 00:11:12,210 --> 00:11:14,130 keep that and throw away what was bad. 269 00:11:14,130 --> 00:11:18,590 [Indistinct shouting] 270 00:11:18,590 --> 00:11:21,340 And then, Vince Russo comes in and, 271 00:11:21,340 --> 00:11:23,850 he doesn't have that buffer, or he doesn't have 272 00:11:23,850 --> 00:11:26,060 that person telling him no. 273 00:11:26,060 --> 00:11:27,770 Never do that! 274 00:11:27,770 --> 00:11:31,100 [Kevin] The whole group of people in the office 275 00:11:31,100 --> 00:11:35,020 thought he had gone too far down the road, 276 00:11:35,020 --> 00:11:38,280 away from where WCW was. 277 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:40,070 [Vince] Listen, man, the one thing 278 00:11:40,070 --> 00:11:42,700 I really started noticing was 279 00:11:42,700 --> 00:11:45,160 every time I turned around, JJ Dylan, 280 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,240 and Kevin Sullivan were having sidebars. 281 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,500 And as soon as I looked at them, boom, 282 00:11:50,500 --> 00:11:52,960 now the politics are rearing their ugly head. 283 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,750 So, Busch calls me into his office. 284 00:11:55,750 --> 00:11:57,960 He said, "Vince, we're thinking of 285 00:11:57,960 --> 00:11:59,170 going in a direction. 286 00:11:59,170 --> 00:12:01,260 We're gonna go more into a, ah, committee, 287 00:12:01,260 --> 00:12:04,720 and we want you to be part of a committee." 288 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,560 And bro, without missing a beat, I said, "Bill... 289 00:12:08,560 --> 00:12:10,640 I got a contract. 290 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,060 The contract states that I am head of creative. 291 00:12:14,060 --> 00:12:17,690 I am not interested in any of your committees." 292 00:12:17,690 --> 00:12:20,690 I said, "So, I am going to go home, 293 00:12:20,690 --> 00:12:22,280 and you guys can figure out 294 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:23,910 how you're gonna pay me." 295 00:12:23,910 --> 00:12:25,950 And that was the end of it, 296 00:12:25,950 --> 00:12:28,120 and I, I went home, 297 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:29,660 and they continued to pay me. 298 00:12:31,700 --> 00:12:34,080 Sullivan. 299 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,250 I just thought it was such a complete change. 300 00:12:37,250 --> 00:12:38,710 When he first left, I said, 301 00:12:38,710 --> 00:12:40,420 "We're gonna get back to wrestling." 302 00:12:40,420 --> 00:12:42,260 Hey guys... 303 00:12:42,260 --> 00:12:44,090 Benoit, Perry Saturn, 304 00:12:44,090 --> 00:12:46,430 Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero. 305 00:12:46,430 --> 00:12:49,010 When those guys showed up at TV and 306 00:12:49,010 --> 00:12:53,020 I wasn't there, the undercard... 307 00:12:53,020 --> 00:12:56,270 they went absolutely ballistic, because they knew. 308 00:12:56,270 --> 00:12:58,440 They went to work one day, and Vince isn't here. 309 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:00,230 They knew. 310 00:13:00,230 --> 00:13:03,070 They, they knew what had happened. 311 00:13:03,070 --> 00:13:07,950 They were such an intricate part of the show. 312 00:13:07,950 --> 00:13:10,080 But, they weren't Nash, Hall, 313 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,700 Hogan, Macho Man. 314 00:13:12,700 --> 00:13:15,000 They could've been. 315 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,630 But, they weren't. 316 00:13:17,630 --> 00:13:21,550 So, in an effort to try to make it up to those guys and 317 00:13:21,550 --> 00:13:24,470 calm everybody down, Sullivan made the decision 318 00:13:24,470 --> 00:13:26,340 to put the belt on Benoit. 319 00:13:26,340 --> 00:13:28,590 Let's get the official word if we can! 320 00:13:28,590 --> 00:13:31,560 I remember at that TV taping, they asked for their release, 321 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:33,680 and Bill Busch said, "Yes, you can go." 322 00:13:33,680 --> 00:13:36,770 Not realizing exactly where they were going. 323 00:13:36,770 --> 00:13:38,310 It was a Monday night. 324 00:13:38,310 --> 00:13:40,440 I'm sitting in the restaurant having dinner with my wife, 325 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:43,030 and on the screens, I could see that 326 00:13:43,030 --> 00:13:45,240 Monday Night Raw was on. 327 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,160 And I see Eddie, Dean, and Chris, and Perry Saturn, 328 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:50,950 and I thought, wow, WCW have hit rock bottom. 329 00:13:50,950 --> 00:13:53,580 If those guys are jumping ship, it's inevitable. 330 00:13:53,580 --> 00:13:56,830 [Indistinct shouting] 331 00:13:56,830 --> 00:14:00,080 And, I said to my wife, 332 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,500 "Knowing Turner the way I do, 333 00:14:02,500 --> 00:14:05,630 how much do you want to bet they're gonna call me and 334 00:14:05,630 --> 00:14:07,300 ask me to come back?" 335 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:15,310 [Commentary] I cannot believe it! 336 00:14:15,310 --> 00:14:18,390 15 days after Chris Benoit wins the WCW 337 00:14:18,390 --> 00:14:21,150 World Heavyweight title, he appears on 338 00:14:21,150 --> 00:14:23,360 Monday Night Raw in the front row with 339 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:25,440 the heart of the WCW mid card- 340 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:26,900 Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, 341 00:14:26,900 --> 00:14:28,700 and Perry Saturn. 342 00:14:28,700 --> 00:14:30,700 Keep in mind that those defections had been 343 00:14:30,700 --> 00:14:32,580 happening the other way for the longest time. 344 00:14:32,580 --> 00:14:34,160 Well, now the opposite is happening, 345 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:38,160 but it's especially damaging to WCW because 346 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:41,420 these are characters, and these are wrestlers, 347 00:14:41,420 --> 00:14:43,540 who have their best years ahead of them. 348 00:14:43,540 --> 00:14:45,130 It was a big deal. 349 00:14:45,130 --> 00:14:47,800 When those four guys walked out- Ooh. 350 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,800 The silent hush heard around the world. 351 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:52,850 [Indistinct commentary] ...on top! 352 00:14:52,850 --> 00:14:54,470 You knew that was big. 353 00:14:54,470 --> 00:14:57,060 You knew that was a big move. 354 00:14:57,060 --> 00:15:00,100 I think the office was like, "---- those guys," you know, 355 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:02,020 "we don't need 'em." And I was like, bro, 356 00:15:02,020 --> 00:15:04,690 if they would've let Eddie, and Benoit, 357 00:15:04,690 --> 00:15:06,440 and all these people... 358 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,780 do programs as the guys on top... 359 00:15:09,780 --> 00:15:12,410 we might still be in business. 360 00:15:12,410 --> 00:15:15,200 [Vince] The ratings plummeted after I left. 361 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,040 Sullivan's in charge... 362 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:20,000 Boom. We hit rock bottom again. 363 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,380 All the decisions went through me, 364 00:15:22,380 --> 00:15:25,380 and I think somebody suggested bringing Eric back. 365 00:15:25,380 --> 00:15:28,090 Since my relationship with Eric was always good, 366 00:15:28,090 --> 00:15:31,340 and we had a successful formula that was working 367 00:15:31,340 --> 00:15:33,680 when we were working together on it. 368 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,470 So, I think the idea of bringing Eric back, 369 00:15:36,470 --> 00:15:38,470 being involved as either a consultant or whatever 370 00:15:38,470 --> 00:15:42,690 he was, seemed like a good idea at the time. 371 00:15:42,690 --> 00:15:44,690 So, I went back to Brad, said, "Okay, here's the deal. 372 00:15:44,690 --> 00:15:46,110 Write me a new contract. 373 00:15:46,110 --> 00:15:47,400 I don't want to be an employee, 374 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,150 because you guys are crazier now than you were 375 00:15:49,150 --> 00:15:53,360 when I left. I'll, you know, report to you, nobody else." 376 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,910 That was my deal and, and they took it. 377 00:15:55,910 --> 00:15:58,740 And, Brad said, "Do you think- 378 00:15:58,740 --> 00:16:02,080 Would you mind, before we make a decision, 379 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,080 meet with Vince Russo and decide if you think 380 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,540 you can work with him." 381 00:16:06,540 --> 00:16:08,380 [Vince] I never thought it would work. 382 00:16:08,380 --> 00:16:11,010 But, Brad Siegel said to me- 383 00:16:11,010 --> 00:16:12,840 here's what he said: 384 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:16,890 "I want you to work with Eric Bischoff." 385 00:16:16,890 --> 00:16:20,430 Brad Siegel never said to me at any time, 386 00:16:20,430 --> 00:16:23,980 "Eric is your boss. Eric is in charge of you. 387 00:16:23,980 --> 00:16:26,060 Eric has the final say," so I don't know what 388 00:16:26,060 --> 00:16:29,530 he had to say to get Eric aboard. I have no idea. 389 00:16:29,530 --> 00:16:31,860 My job was to oversee Vince. 390 00:16:31,860 --> 00:16:34,240 That's what I was hired to do by Brad Siegel. 391 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,870 My job definition was overseeing Vince Russo 392 00:16:36,870 --> 00:16:38,910 and the creative process. 393 00:16:38,910 --> 00:16:41,080 ♪ 394 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,580 You know, my memories of exactly what happened 395 00:16:43,580 --> 00:16:45,630 are really sketchy. 396 00:16:45,630 --> 00:16:48,840 But if Eric came back, I had to approve it. 397 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,340 [Eric] Look, I have a pretty strong opinion 398 00:16:51,340 --> 00:16:52,920 about Vince, professionally. 399 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:56,300 But as a person, he's a charming guy. 400 00:16:56,300 --> 00:16:59,140 And, I thought, I can make this work. 401 00:16:59,140 --> 00:17:02,350 [Cheering] 402 00:17:02,350 --> 00:17:05,440 What?! No way! 403 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:07,810 Vince Russo and I 404 00:17:07,810 --> 00:17:11,730 have more in common than anybody knows. 405 00:17:11,730 --> 00:17:13,740 When I got back to WCW, 406 00:17:13,740 --> 00:17:16,240 in many respects, it was worse. 407 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,370 [Indistinct commentary] 408 00:17:18,370 --> 00:17:19,870 409 00:17:19,870 --> 00:17:22,080 The stuff! Two points! 410 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:23,790 [Off-screen] I'm gonna show you just like a couple of clips. 411 00:17:23,790 --> 00:17:25,460 You're gonna be watching it, and then just any 412 00:17:25,460 --> 00:17:28,420 commentary, reactions, memories, stories. 413 00:17:28,420 --> 00:17:30,210 Anything that comes to mind. 414 00:17:30,210 --> 00:17:31,800 What was your thoughts on this? 415 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:33,800 [Vince] But Kevin, I've gotta ask you a question. 416 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:35,800 How many brain cells 417 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:39,390 have you burnt over the years, Kevin? 418 00:17:39,390 --> 00:17:42,100 I remember they were trying to drop that blood on me. 419 00:17:42,100 --> 00:17:44,180 They missed like 19 times. 420 00:17:44,180 --> 00:17:45,810 Now what? 421 00:17:45,810 --> 00:17:49,020 [Audience screaming] 422 00:17:49,020 --> 00:17:53,320 You know what? Take that clip... 423 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,530 and show it 424 00:17:55,530 --> 00:17:57,820 after the finger poke of doom, 425 00:17:57,820 --> 00:18:00,570 and then you tell me what killed WCW. 426 00:18:00,570 --> 00:18:05,370 [Splattering and crowd shouting] 427 00:18:05,370 --> 00:18:07,250 Look at my face. 428 00:18:07,250 --> 00:18:09,790 Like, ah, you gotta be kidding me. 429 00:18:09,790 --> 00:18:11,290 The New Blood strikes again! 430 00:18:11,290 --> 00:18:14,340 The New Blood's symbol! 431 00:18:14,340 --> 00:18:16,880 And Nash is walking slowly, 432 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:18,220 drenched in the red. 433 00:18:18,220 --> 00:18:19,970 Kevin Nash in pursuit! 434 00:18:19,970 --> 00:18:23,510 This was a monthly... doing, 435 00:18:23,510 --> 00:18:25,600 that they did something. 436 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,440 Russo running out of the building! 437 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:29,940 [Eric] The company was in worse shape than it was when I left. 438 00:18:29,940 --> 00:18:31,690 They are getting to their limousine. 439 00:18:31,690 --> 00:18:33,360 There was no hope. 440 00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:35,940 Get that damn camera out of here. 441 00:18:35,940 --> 00:18:39,360 [Eric] The only way I knew how to turn that around 442 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:42,280 was to kind of force a creative reset, 443 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,750 and that reset involved... 444 00:18:45,750 --> 00:18:47,540 the Millionaire's Club, which was the 445 00:18:47,540 --> 00:18:50,420 established top-level talent.... 446 00:18:50,420 --> 00:18:53,290 versus the young, up-and-coming, 447 00:18:53,290 --> 00:18:54,920 the young guns. 448 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,590 It's kind of a classic story. 449 00:18:57,590 --> 00:19:00,220 The Millionaire's Club fighting 450 00:18:57,590 --> 00:19:00,220 for their very careers! 451 00:19:00,220 --> 00:19:02,760 [Vince] Bro, that was inspired by 452 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:05,890 what has been going on in wrestling from day one. 453 00:19:05,890 --> 00:19:09,890 From day one, that's the wrestling business. 454 00:19:09,890 --> 00:19:11,850 And I'm, I'm a firm believer that if you're gonna create 455 00:19:11,850 --> 00:19:15,480 a story, try to create one that's based on 456 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,280 some sense of reality. 457 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:21,070 [Vince] The Millionaire's Club at WCW were the top guys 458 00:19:21,070 --> 00:19:22,660 that were making all the money. 459 00:19:22,660 --> 00:19:25,490 Okay, the- you know, the Hogans, the Savages, 460 00:19:25,490 --> 00:19:28,700 the Flairs, the Lugers, you know, 461 00:19:28,700 --> 00:19:31,250 Sting fell in that category. 462 00:19:31,250 --> 00:19:34,590 The, the New Blood were the hungry, 463 00:19:34,590 --> 00:19:39,010 younger guys that were making a fraction of their salary 464 00:19:39,010 --> 00:19:42,180 because they were being held down by 465 00:19:42,180 --> 00:19:43,800 the Millionaire's Club. 466 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,310 So now they were gonna have their day in court. 467 00:19:46,310 --> 00:19:49,930 Hey! Terry "The Bollster" Hogan! 468 00:19:49,930 --> 00:19:51,440 Maybe! 469 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,310 Maybe you haven't paid attention around here! 470 00:19:54,310 --> 00:19:57,020 A lot of tension at that time because, 471 00:19:57,020 --> 00:19:59,030 you know, the changing of the guard, 472 00:19:59,030 --> 00:20:01,200 that stuff was real too, you know. 473 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,490 The stuff with Hogan and the, the older guys. 474 00:20:04,490 --> 00:20:07,700 You know, those guys didn't want to give up their spots. 475 00:20:07,700 --> 00:20:09,370 [DDP] You're like, "We're making money"? 476 00:20:09,370 --> 00:20:12,370 Yeah, cause we earned our spot, you know, 477 00:20:12,370 --> 00:20:15,250 and bottom line is now we're finally making money. 478 00:20:15,250 --> 00:20:16,960 [Booker] When Hogan said, you know, he's getting older, 479 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:19,260 but, "Everybody in that damn locker room's 480 00:20:19,260 --> 00:20:22,050 getting older too." [Laughing] You know. 481 00:20:22,050 --> 00:20:24,050 Well, yeah, Hulk Hogan's getting older, 482 00:20:24,050 --> 00:20:26,640 and so is every other damn wrestler in the back too. 483 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:28,350 Day by day. 484 00:20:28,350 --> 00:20:31,230 That was a real statement. That's someone who's- 485 00:20:31,230 --> 00:20:33,100 who doesn't want to let it go, man. 486 00:20:33,100 --> 00:20:34,730 Kevin! 487 00:20:34,730 --> 00:20:38,020 I get it, I understand it, but for me... 488 00:20:38,020 --> 00:20:41,360 you know, nah, I always, ah, 489 00:20:41,360 --> 00:20:43,650 went as far as my talent could take me, 490 00:20:43,650 --> 00:20:45,320 not my politics. 491 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:47,830 I knew there were gonna be politics, 492 00:20:47,830 --> 00:20:49,950 I just never thought there were gonna be 493 00:20:49,950 --> 00:20:52,660 politics to this extent. 494 00:20:52,660 --> 00:20:55,460 Bro, even with all these things, 495 00:20:55,460 --> 00:20:58,090 yes, I am gonna go into this to win. 496 00:20:58,090 --> 00:20:59,340 I'm not gonna go to work and 497 00:20:59,340 --> 00:21:02,880 go through the motions, and just waste my time. 498 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:06,260 I literally am still going to do 499 00:21:06,260 --> 00:21:09,510 every single thing I possibly can do 500 00:21:09,510 --> 00:21:11,600 to bring those ratings back up. 501 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,020 ♪ 502 00:21:14,020 --> 00:21:17,100 "Ready To Rumble" was a major motion picture 503 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:18,810 that they were gonna do. 504 00:21:18,810 --> 00:21:21,070 David Arquette was gonna be the star, 505 00:21:21,070 --> 00:21:24,860 and there were gonna be multiple WCW wrestlers in it. 506 00:21:24,860 --> 00:21:26,360 I like wrestling. 507 00:21:26,360 --> 00:21:28,200 Are you gonna be a wrestler? 508 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,490 [Laughing] You caught trouble wrestling your weewee 509 00:21:31,490 --> 00:21:34,000 out of your trousers to take a leak. 510 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,420 It's not that I have trouble. 511 00:21:36,420 --> 00:21:40,340 I never really had an interest in becoming a 512 00:21:40,340 --> 00:21:42,630 professional wrestler, except for the fact that 513 00:21:42,630 --> 00:21:45,630 when I was a kid and I'd look up at 'em, and, and... 514 00:21:45,630 --> 00:21:48,970 I'd be like, "Ah, it would be so great to be the champion," 515 00:21:48,970 --> 00:21:51,430 you know, and just, ah- 516 00:21:51,430 --> 00:21:53,720 But I never really thought of 517 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:55,430 myself as a wrestler. 518 00:21:55,430 --> 00:21:57,770 -The steel cage. -Steel cage! Done! 519 00:21:57,770 --> 00:22:00,400 But, part of the story line in "Ready To Rumble" is that 520 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,860 my character, Gordie, becomes a wrestler at the end of it. 521 00:22:03,860 --> 00:22:06,240 And I think that was part of the germ of the idea in 522 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:10,280 bringing me into WCW so that we could sort of 523 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:12,450 have fun with those worlds. 524 00:22:12,450 --> 00:22:14,330 So, we have our production meeting, 525 00:22:14,330 --> 00:22:16,160 and the match is, um... 526 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:18,210 Jeff Jarrett, Eric Bischoff, 527 00:22:18,210 --> 00:22:20,630 against DDP and David Arquette. 528 00:22:20,630 --> 00:22:22,340 We have a regular production meeting. 529 00:22:22,340 --> 00:22:23,670 Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. 530 00:22:23,670 --> 00:22:27,170 Everybody leaves. I'm literally there by myself, 531 00:22:27,170 --> 00:22:30,470 and Tony Schiavone comes over. And Tony says, 532 00:22:30,470 --> 00:22:32,350 "Vince, do you mind if I pitch you something?" 533 00:22:32,350 --> 00:22:35,140 I said, "Tony, absolutely." And I got the, 534 00:22:35,140 --> 00:22:37,350 "What if... 535 00:22:37,350 --> 00:22:40,850 David Arquette wins that match and becomes 536 00:22:40,850 --> 00:22:42,820 WCW Heavyweight Champion?" 537 00:22:42,820 --> 00:22:45,690 I call everybody back in. 538 00:22:45,690 --> 00:22:49,570 "Guys, Tony pitched me this idea. 539 00:22:49,570 --> 00:22:51,490 What do you think?" 540 00:22:51,490 --> 00:22:54,790 Bro, 100% of the people were for it. 541 00:22:54,790 --> 00:22:57,710 I don't remember how the idea generated. 542 00:22:57,710 --> 00:23:00,210 We'd done other things to help promote movies, and, 543 00:23:00,210 --> 00:23:02,790 and specific television shows in the past. 544 00:23:02,790 --> 00:23:07,550 This was a rather elaborate way to promote the movie. 545 00:23:07,550 --> 00:23:09,300 But I didn't see the harm in it. 546 00:23:09,300 --> 00:23:12,340 I just laughed out aloud and... 547 00:23:12,340 --> 00:23:14,930 I went, "Yeah, right, so what are we doing?" 548 00:23:14,930 --> 00:23:18,810 And Eric goes, "That's what we're doing." 549 00:23:18,810 --> 00:23:20,560 I go, "No, we're not." 550 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,400 He goes, "Yes, we are." I go, "Bro, come on. 551 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:25,650 Stop ----ing with me. We're not gonna do that." 552 00:23:25,650 --> 00:23:28,030 I go, "That's not a good idea." 553 00:23:28,030 --> 00:23:30,740 It was like, "That's a terrible idea. 554 00:23:30,740 --> 00:23:32,450 You can't do that." 555 00:23:37,580 --> 00:23:39,460 [Indistinct commentary] 556 00:23:39,460 --> 00:23:40,790 Speared by Arquette! 557 00:23:40,790 --> 00:23:42,920 Oh, Jarrett's got the belt! 558 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:44,340 Arquette- 1, 2, 3! 559 00:23:44,340 --> 00:23:45,840 What?! 560 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:47,500 [Cheering] 561 00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:50,840 What, what did- What's going on here? 562 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:52,970 David Arquette won the world title! 563 00:23:52,970 --> 00:23:55,300 [David] Got this huge, like, reaction 564 00:23:55,300 --> 00:23:57,350 when they made me the champion. 565 00:23:57,350 --> 00:23:59,520 You know, people throwing something, spitting on you, 566 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,390 and calling you the worst things in the world, but... 567 00:24:02,390 --> 00:24:04,650 It really hit me when 568 00:24:04,650 --> 00:24:06,900 I was in the locker room and, 569 00:24:06,900 --> 00:24:09,230 Booker T was there, and he was getting ready. 570 00:24:09,230 --> 00:24:12,400 [Laughing] 571 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:13,820 He goes, "Booker, man, 572 00:24:13,820 --> 00:24:16,120 this is so great, man. I'm the world champion! 573 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:18,540 I'm the world champion!" You know, and he goes... 574 00:24:18,540 --> 00:24:21,120 "How many times have you been champ, Booker?" 575 00:24:21,120 --> 00:24:22,410 He's like... 576 00:24:22,410 --> 00:24:24,000 "I never won it," you know. 577 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,670 And then he goes... 578 00:24:26,670 --> 00:24:31,010 He, his, his mood totally changed. 579 00:24:31,010 --> 00:24:34,640 And then I was like, "Oof, whoa, okay," 580 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,600 that like, that hit me, so... 581 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:39,770 [Sharmell] It was hard to see that, you know, 582 00:24:39,770 --> 00:24:42,270 you do have these guys who 583 00:24:42,270 --> 00:24:45,230 pretty much have given their lives for this sport, 584 00:24:45,230 --> 00:24:47,730 and then you have a Hollywood actor, 585 00:24:47,730 --> 00:24:49,110 even though it's David Arquette who 586 00:24:49,110 --> 00:24:53,110 we know and love, come in and win that title. 587 00:24:53,110 --> 00:24:56,530 Yeah, that, that, that's a hard thing. 588 00:24:56,530 --> 00:25:00,160 I would say it was just another nail in the coffin of 589 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:03,660 a company that was rapidly dying at that time. 590 00:25:03,660 --> 00:25:06,080 [Booker] I thought it was a bad idea putting the 591 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:07,710 World Heavyweight Championship 592 00:25:07,710 --> 00:25:09,500 on David Arquette. 593 00:25:09,500 --> 00:25:13,470 I mean, movie star or not, it's just not a good play. 594 00:25:13,470 --> 00:25:15,220 And when you do something like this, you go, 595 00:25:15,220 --> 00:25:16,720 "Okay, where do we go from here?" 596 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,300 Well, people were pissed that this actor that had never 597 00:25:19,300 --> 00:25:20,970 paid his dues- cause that's a big thing, 598 00:25:20,970 --> 00:25:23,890 paying your dues, right?- was a world champion. 599 00:25:23,890 --> 00:25:26,350 And Vince's rebuttal to that was, 600 00:25:26,350 --> 00:25:28,060 "It got eyes on the product." 601 00:25:28,060 --> 00:25:30,940 I don't know how well it did in the ratings, but, I go, 602 00:25:30,940 --> 00:25:33,570 "Yeah, but it got people talking for the wrong reasons." 603 00:25:33,570 --> 00:25:35,700 I don't think that was a good idea. 604 00:25:35,700 --> 00:25:38,320 Bro, I'll never forget, the next morning after that, 605 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,160 I get up, I go downstairs to the front desk. 606 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,450 What's on the front cover of the USA Today? 607 00:25:43,450 --> 00:25:45,870 That would have never, ever happened 608 00:25:45,870 --> 00:25:48,040 in a million years. 609 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:51,500 And at that time, that's what we are after. 610 00:25:51,500 --> 00:25:53,760 And again, bro, I'm going to say it, 611 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,380 I write a television show. 612 00:25:56,380 --> 00:26:00,140 If you think about the importance of the world title 613 00:26:00,140 --> 00:26:02,640 in wrestling, yes, it's predetermined, 614 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,230 but it does carry with it a huge amount of value, 615 00:26:05,230 --> 00:26:08,900 and I think fans perceived this as another attempt to 616 00:26:08,900 --> 00:26:12,110 get the interest back in one day rather than 617 00:26:12,110 --> 00:26:13,610 building for the future. 618 00:26:13,610 --> 00:26:15,360 [Eric] The wrestling audience didn't appreciate it. 619 00:26:15,360 --> 00:26:18,660 In the eyes of, you know, the hardcore wrestling fan. 620 00:26:18,660 --> 00:26:19,910 And I'm not dismissing them, 621 00:26:19,910 --> 00:26:21,410 and I don't mean it derisively. 622 00:26:21,410 --> 00:26:25,950 But, the really passionate wrestling fan felt that 623 00:26:25,950 --> 00:26:28,620 it really made a mockery of the title, 624 00:26:28,620 --> 00:26:31,290 to use that title in that way. 625 00:26:31,290 --> 00:26:34,300 I didn't feel that way in that moment. 626 00:26:34,300 --> 00:26:36,720 I was looking at the bigger opportunity, 627 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,090 and felt like we could sustain a couple weeks 628 00:26:39,090 --> 00:26:40,930 of bad press. 629 00:26:40,930 --> 00:26:44,470 I think Eric put himself in a position to where... 630 00:26:44,470 --> 00:26:47,270 he stopped calling the shots, and just started being 631 00:26:47,270 --> 00:26:49,730 a part of the shots that were being called. 632 00:26:49,730 --> 00:26:52,860 And I think that was, perhaps, the biggest problem. 633 00:26:52,860 --> 00:26:54,070 It is what it is. 634 00:26:54,070 --> 00:26:56,490 I didn't stop it, let's put it that way. 635 00:26:56,490 --> 00:26:58,570 I supported it. 636 00:26:58,570 --> 00:27:00,780 And I participated, for God's sake. 637 00:27:00,780 --> 00:27:02,530 The World Heavyweight Champion! 638 00:27:02,530 --> 00:27:05,160 [Shouting and cheering] 639 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:06,830 I would do the same thing today, bro. 640 00:27:06,830 --> 00:27:08,210 Without blinking an eye, 641 00:27:08,210 --> 00:27:09,870 I would do the same exact thing today. 642 00:27:14,670 --> 00:27:17,130 Quite frankly, I could care less. 643 00:27:17,130 --> 00:27:19,510 Arquette goes out there the next day! 644 00:27:19,510 --> 00:27:21,640 He doesn't want the championship! 645 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:23,640 What?! Whoa! Bro! 646 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:25,220 [Stammering] I, I, you know- 647 00:27:25,220 --> 00:27:27,180 we followed that up in the story line. 648 00:27:27,180 --> 00:27:29,020 What did he have it, bro, for like a week? 649 00:27:29,020 --> 00:27:30,640 Hey, I think I killed out there. 650 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:32,770 Listen, Page, this has all been a big fluke, 651 00:27:32,770 --> 00:27:35,020 it's been a whole lot of fun, but I don't deserve 652 00:27:35,020 --> 00:27:36,780 to be the World Heavyweight Champion. 653 00:27:36,780 --> 00:27:38,490 And he went out on, you know, the next day, 654 00:27:38,490 --> 00:27:40,320 and he goes, "Man, I shouldn't have the title. 655 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:42,490 People like Booker T should have the title." 656 00:27:42,490 --> 00:27:46,490 Tonight, I'm gonna relinquish the belt, 657 00:27:46,490 --> 00:27:50,120 and give up the title. I don't deserve it. 658 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:51,290 How about that? 659 00:27:51,290 --> 00:27:53,040 -These guys deserve it. -[Booing] 660 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,290 Maybe Booker T deserves it, 661 00:27:55,290 --> 00:27:56,880 but I don't deserve it. 662 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:58,630 You know, I was like, "Wow!" You know? 663 00:27:58,630 --> 00:28:00,970 So, he might have been my biggest cheerleader, 664 00:28:00,970 --> 00:28:03,840 you know, he might have been the spark that lit the flame. 665 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:06,350 I started at the bottom of that company, 666 00:28:06,350 --> 00:28:09,560 and I had seen these guys on television, 667 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:11,390 and now I'm in the same locker room with them, 668 00:28:11,390 --> 00:28:15,560 and competing with them at the highest level. 669 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,570 I was doing something that I had never imagined 670 00:28:18,570 --> 00:28:20,990 or dreamt of doing in a million years. 671 00:28:20,990 --> 00:28:22,240 Now the axe kick! 672 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:23,950 [DDP] I knew Book was gonna be a big star. 673 00:28:23,950 --> 00:28:26,910 When he was putting on grease paint one time 674 00:28:26,910 --> 00:28:29,620 when he was doing G. I. Bro. 675 00:28:29,620 --> 00:28:32,620 He said, "I'm here, and I'm gonna keep doing what 676 00:28:32,620 --> 00:28:35,630 I'm doing, and eventually I'm gonna get there." 677 00:28:35,630 --> 00:28:37,250 And I'm like, "You know what, bro, you're right, 678 00:28:37,250 --> 00:28:40,960 you are." I said, "You got the best attitude ever." 679 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:42,880 Thinking about winning the world title for me 680 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:45,340 in this company, is something that 681 00:28:45,340 --> 00:28:46,850 I never really thought about. 682 00:28:46,850 --> 00:28:48,140 When I first came in this company, it was, 683 00:28:48,140 --> 00:28:49,350 you know, it was a clique. 684 00:28:49,350 --> 00:28:50,560 It was a good old boys clique, you know, 685 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:52,270 and if you wasn't in the good old boy clique, 686 00:28:52,270 --> 00:28:54,020 you only went to a certain level, you know. 687 00:28:59,610 --> 00:29:02,400 ♪ 688 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:05,610 'Cause I was Black, to be honest. 689 00:29:05,610 --> 00:29:07,370 I knew how good I was. 690 00:29:07,370 --> 00:29:10,910 There wasn't a doubt in my mind. 691 00:29:10,910 --> 00:29:13,910 But you still wonder if the company would be 692 00:29:13,910 --> 00:29:16,420 willing to accept a Black champion. 693 00:29:16,420 --> 00:29:19,670 ♪ 694 00:29:19,670 --> 00:29:22,380 He was beloved, everybody loved him. 695 00:29:22,380 --> 00:29:24,420 He was so easy to work with. 696 00:29:24,420 --> 00:29:26,590 He paid his dues. 697 00:29:26,590 --> 00:29:30,310 Booker, like, had completely thrown in the towel of 698 00:29:30,310 --> 00:29:33,430 ever thinking he was going to be a champion 699 00:29:33,430 --> 00:29:35,850 because he knew the political game! 700 00:29:35,850 --> 00:29:39,560 Everybody's fighting for the same spot! 701 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:43,570 And especially, bro, when you're on top, 702 00:29:43,570 --> 00:29:47,280 you got everybody gunning for you. 703 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:51,080 So, when Hulk was on top, yes, 704 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,040 did he do everything he possibly could 705 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:56,080 to secure that spot? 706 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,750 Bro, 1000%. 707 00:30:04,210 --> 00:30:06,090 ♪ 708 00:30:06,090 --> 00:30:07,880 [Eric] Halloween Havoc '99 I think was 709 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:09,640 the last time Hogan appeared. 710 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:12,010 Of course, I was sent home in September of '99. 711 00:30:12,010 --> 00:30:13,430 Hogan stuck around because he was 712 00:30:13,430 --> 00:30:15,310 obligated and advertised. 713 00:30:15,310 --> 00:30:17,810 But, without me there, 714 00:30:17,810 --> 00:30:21,270 Hogan really wasn't too interested in 715 00:30:21,270 --> 00:30:25,490 working in any way, shape, or form with Russo. 716 00:30:25,490 --> 00:30:29,530 So, when I came back to work with Russo, 717 00:30:29,530 --> 00:30:31,660 that certainly made it a lot easier. 718 00:30:31,660 --> 00:30:34,540 Eric is now treating me 719 00:30:34,540 --> 00:30:37,210 as I'm below him. 720 00:30:37,210 --> 00:30:39,500 And I, I had had enough. 721 00:30:39,500 --> 00:30:43,420 So, I called Brad Siegel. 722 00:30:43,420 --> 00:30:45,010 And I said, 723 00:30:45,010 --> 00:30:49,510 "Brad, if you want to make Eric head of creative, 724 00:30:49,510 --> 00:30:51,890 freaking make him head of creative!" 725 00:30:51,890 --> 00:30:55,930 And bro, Brad Siegel said, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no 726 00:30:55,930 --> 00:30:59,850 Vince! I want YOU to write creative." 727 00:30:59,850 --> 00:31:03,110 Bro, two days later was Bash At The Beach. 728 00:31:03,110 --> 00:31:06,400 Bash At The Beach 2000 was really the culmination point 729 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:09,490 of the tension between Russo and what he wanted to do, 730 00:31:09,490 --> 00:31:12,450 me and what I was willing to do in the role I was in, 731 00:31:12,450 --> 00:31:14,490 and what Hogan was willing to do... 732 00:31:14,490 --> 00:31:16,790 given that he had creative control. 733 00:31:16,790 --> 00:31:19,960 I will say this up front, without a shadow of a doubt, 734 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:23,590 if there was no Eric Bischoff, 735 00:31:23,590 --> 00:31:26,380 I would have had a great relationship with Hulk Hogan. 736 00:31:26,380 --> 00:31:28,800 And, I don't think there ever 737 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:30,760 would have been an issue. 738 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,680 Hulk and I have a good idea of what we wanted to do 739 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:35,310 with his participation. 740 00:31:35,310 --> 00:31:36,520 He and I are on the same page, 741 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:38,430 and Hulk Hogan has creative control, 742 00:31:38,430 --> 00:31:40,190 so that's pretty much the end of any dispute 743 00:31:40,190 --> 00:31:42,770 or conversation, right. 744 00:31:42,770 --> 00:31:44,190 But at the same time, Vince Russo had 745 00:31:44,190 --> 00:31:46,440 his ideas of what he wanted to do. 746 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:49,280 And what he was able to do was 747 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:51,530 take the original idea of Hulk and I's, 748 00:31:51,530 --> 00:31:53,780 which was create some kind of scenario 749 00:31:53,780 --> 00:31:55,990 where Hulk gets so frustrated, or disgusted, 750 00:31:55,990 --> 00:31:59,580 or pissed off, he grabs the belt and walks out of 751 00:31:59,580 --> 00:32:03,750 the building, presumably never to be seen again. 752 00:32:03,750 --> 00:32:06,040 That was the plan. 753 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:08,840 [Vince] I'm saying to myself, bro, no. 754 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:12,300 You're not walking out of here with the belt. 755 00:32:12,300 --> 00:32:14,090 -Now what? -I don't know, it's... 756 00:32:14,090 --> 00:32:15,550 Who's laying down on this one? 757 00:32:15,550 --> 00:32:17,760 But what Vince Russo did was jump in the middle part of 758 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:21,060 our plan, and decided that once Eric and Hulk 759 00:32:21,060 --> 00:32:22,850 left the building- which we did, 760 00:32:22,850 --> 00:32:24,810 according to script, OUR script- 761 00:32:24,810 --> 00:32:27,820 Vince Russo jumped into the ring, live, 762 00:32:27,820 --> 00:32:30,030 and went into business for himself and 763 00:32:30,030 --> 00:32:32,200 implemented his own idea. 764 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:34,740 [Cheering] 765 00:32:34,740 --> 00:32:36,700 Hey, let me tell ya who doesn't give a shit 766 00:32:36,700 --> 00:32:38,450 about this company! 767 00:32:38,450 --> 00:32:41,330 That God damn politician, Hulk Hogan! 768 00:32:41,330 --> 00:32:43,040 I remember looking around, 769 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:46,710 talking to some of the other Nitro Girls, like... 770 00:32:46,710 --> 00:32:48,380 "Is, is this what's supposed to be happening?" 771 00:32:48,380 --> 00:32:50,510 Like, what's going- is this written? 772 00:32:50,510 --> 00:32:52,050 What is going on? 773 00:32:52,050 --> 00:32:55,140 Hulk Hogan tonight wants to play 774 00:32:55,140 --> 00:32:58,680 his creative control card. 775 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:00,520 Holy shit. 776 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:01,930 This, this is... 777 00:33:01,930 --> 00:33:03,940 he's shooting, you know, he's talking for real. 778 00:33:03,940 --> 00:33:05,520 This is not a work. 779 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:07,190 But one thing I do want to point out. 780 00:33:07,190 --> 00:33:10,570 As much as this was a work, and everybody was, 781 00:33:10,570 --> 00:33:14,740 you know, in on it, when I talk about reality, 782 00:33:14,740 --> 00:33:17,280 I really am this pissed off. 783 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,740 Hogan got his belt, and he went the hell home, 784 00:33:20,740 --> 00:33:22,910 and I promise everybody or else 785 00:33:22,910 --> 00:33:25,250 I'll go in the God damn grave, 786 00:33:25,250 --> 00:33:27,830 you will never see that piece of shit again. 787 00:33:27,830 --> 00:33:31,050 I didn't know that was coming, and... 788 00:33:31,050 --> 00:33:34,720 that promo to me felt as real as it possibly can be, 789 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:37,220 as far as two people having 790 00:33:37,220 --> 00:33:40,560 a venomous animosity towards each other. 791 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:43,890 The point of this promo was not to run Hogan down. 792 00:33:43,890 --> 00:33:46,100 The point of it was... 793 00:33:46,100 --> 00:33:48,860 we need Booker to win the belt, 794 00:33:48,860 --> 00:33:50,610 and I need to make sense of 795 00:33:50,610 --> 00:33:52,980 why this match is happening. 796 00:33:52,980 --> 00:33:57,070 For the WCW title, two deserving guys- 797 00:33:57,070 --> 00:34:00,450 Jarrett! And Booker! 798 00:34:00,450 --> 00:34:02,580 Will compete for the WCW, 799 00:34:02,580 --> 00:34:05,370 and they'll tear this God damn house down! 800 00:34:05,370 --> 00:34:08,420 I found out about 10 minutes before I had to wrestle. 801 00:34:08,420 --> 00:34:09,920 This all came as a surprise to me. 802 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:11,130 I really don't know what's going on. 803 00:34:11,130 --> 00:34:13,050 Vince made the decision. 804 00:34:13,050 --> 00:34:15,590 Cut that promo before I had to go out. 805 00:34:15,590 --> 00:34:17,430 Man, I had so much energy. 806 00:34:17,430 --> 00:34:19,930 Opportunity has knocked, and I will be damned 807 00:34:19,930 --> 00:34:21,550 if I don't answer that door. 808 00:34:21,550 --> 00:34:23,810 I am gonna do what I have to do tonight to take 809 00:34:23,810 --> 00:34:25,930 that gold home, take it around my waist, 810 00:34:25,930 --> 00:34:27,310 and taking it to the next millennium. 811 00:34:27,310 --> 00:34:28,980 Now can you dig that shit? 812 00:34:28,980 --> 00:34:31,400 I can. Tony, back to you. 813 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:33,230 I was ready to become the world champ. 814 00:34:39,490 --> 00:34:42,200 I remember, before the bell rang I jumped up so high, 815 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:44,080 you know, and, you know, just because I was like, 816 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,290 "Let's get this done," you know. 817 00:34:46,290 --> 00:34:51,460 [Indistinct shouting and crowd cheering] 818 00:34:51,460 --> 00:34:53,090 ...2! ...3! 819 00:34:53,090 --> 00:34:56,010 [Cheering] 820 00:34:56,010 --> 00:34:58,260 Booker T's the champ! 821 00:34:58,260 --> 00:35:03,220 ♪ [Triumphant] ♪ 822 00:35:03,220 --> 00:35:08,060 ♪ 823 00:35:08,060 --> 00:35:09,560 It took somebody like Vince Russo, 824 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:12,060 somebody that was outside the box that pushed them 825 00:35:12,060 --> 00:35:14,650 to make a decision, and then, you know, 826 00:35:14,650 --> 00:35:16,990 check their conscience for a second. 827 00:35:16,990 --> 00:35:20,110 I came back for the Booker Ts! 828 00:35:20,110 --> 00:35:23,830 I was totally out of the loop, as far as... 829 00:35:23,830 --> 00:35:26,950 what was going on with... 830 00:35:26,950 --> 00:35:28,870 Vince Russo and 831 00:35:28,870 --> 00:35:31,920 Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. 832 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:34,460 [Vince] Bro, the next day on the internet, 833 00:35:34,460 --> 00:35:37,090 everybody bought this- hook, line, and sinker. 834 00:35:37,090 --> 00:35:42,140 And bro, what you got over and over and over again was, 835 00:35:42,140 --> 00:35:45,560 "Finally! Somebody put Hulk Hogan in his place!" 836 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:49,230 Hulk is at home, and he's reading this, 837 00:35:49,230 --> 00:35:53,770 and he's seething, and his ego is kicking in because 838 00:35:53,770 --> 00:35:57,900 now it looks like this jackass, Vince Russo, 839 00:35:57,900 --> 00:35:59,900 got one over on Hulk Hogan. 840 00:35:59,900 --> 00:36:02,030 That's why this company's in the damn shape 841 00:36:02,030 --> 00:36:04,450 it's in because of bullshit like this. 842 00:36:04,450 --> 00:36:06,830 [Cheering] 843 00:36:06,830 --> 00:36:09,040 My phone's just nonstop vibrating. 844 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:10,870 Hulk's phone's blowing up. 845 00:36:10,870 --> 00:36:12,750 And now we're starting to hear bits and pieces 846 00:36:12,750 --> 00:36:15,710 from different people about what Russo did. 847 00:36:15,710 --> 00:36:17,460 And we're looking at each other like this can't, 848 00:36:17,460 --> 00:36:19,630 this can't possibly be true. 849 00:36:19,630 --> 00:36:22,550 Hulk Hogan, who is contractually entitled to 850 00:36:22,550 --> 00:36:25,050 have final say over creative... 851 00:36:25,050 --> 00:36:26,970 and yet, he throws all of that out the window and 852 00:36:26,970 --> 00:36:28,720 goes into business for himself? 853 00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:29,930 Tears the script up, and says, 854 00:36:29,930 --> 00:36:31,560 "No, I'm gonna do it my way instead"? 855 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:34,190 We couldn't believe that that happened. 856 00:36:34,190 --> 00:36:36,690 As far as Hulk was concerned, he's done. 857 00:36:36,690 --> 00:36:38,610 There's going to be a lawsuit. 858 00:36:38,610 --> 00:36:41,440 As far as I'm concerned, I'm done. 859 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,280 Regardless of who did what and who says what, 860 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:47,580 let's just look at it from the most important person 861 00:36:47,580 --> 00:36:50,200 in the equation, which is the people paying money to 862 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:52,000 come and see the shows, buying the Pay Per View, 863 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:53,500 showing up to the live events. 864 00:36:53,500 --> 00:36:56,540 Why would I buy into the idea that the next Pay Per View 865 00:36:56,540 --> 00:36:58,000 is gonna be the biggest event ever, 866 00:36:58,000 --> 00:36:59,420 or the next match is gonna be unbelievable 867 00:36:59,420 --> 00:37:01,670 when it seems like every time they hype something up 868 00:37:01,670 --> 00:37:03,680 some nonsense like this happens? 869 00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:06,220 Ultimately, I think what this represented was the 870 00:37:06,220 --> 00:37:09,140 blowing up of this new creative team that 871 00:37:09,140 --> 00:37:11,140 many had predicted was inevitable. 872 00:37:11,140 --> 00:37:12,890 And unfortunately, it played out, 873 00:37:12,890 --> 00:37:14,140 not behind the scenes, 874 00:37:14,140 --> 00:37:15,980 but in front of everyone to see. 875 00:37:15,980 --> 00:37:17,940 You could talk about angles and storylines, 876 00:37:17,940 --> 00:37:20,150 and this and that- the fact that I was 877 00:37:20,150 --> 00:37:24,070 in a position to be able to do the right thing- 878 00:37:24,070 --> 00:37:26,070 Booker T becoming the champion and 879 00:37:26,070 --> 00:37:30,370 a man finally getting what he deserved and 880 00:37:30,370 --> 00:37:33,410 getting through all that red tape and all the BS 881 00:37:33,410 --> 00:37:37,210 was far and away my greatest moment. 882 00:37:37,210 --> 00:37:40,130 Russo's stunt made it impossible for me to, 883 00:37:40,130 --> 00:37:42,050 A, trust Vince Russo. 884 00:37:42,050 --> 00:37:44,130 Or really the judgement of anybody else, 885 00:37:44,130 --> 00:37:46,720 including Brad Siegel. Brad had a choice. 886 00:37:46,720 --> 00:37:49,050 He could have sent Russo home 887 00:37:49,050 --> 00:37:51,390 following Bash At The Beach. 888 00:37:51,390 --> 00:37:53,100 But he didn't. 889 00:37:53,100 --> 00:37:56,020 Eric and Hogan were partners in 890 00:37:56,020 --> 00:37:58,270 what they wanted to do at WCW. 891 00:37:58,270 --> 00:38:02,110 And, I was trying to do whatever I can do 892 00:38:02,110 --> 00:38:04,280 to get it back on track. 893 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:06,820 [Cheering] 894 00:38:06,820 --> 00:38:09,410 I came back to the guys behind that curtain 895 00:38:09,410 --> 00:38:12,120 that give a shit about this company! 896 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:13,370 Post Bash At The Beach, 897 00:38:13,370 --> 00:38:15,210 now we have another creative shake-up. 898 00:38:15,210 --> 00:38:16,580 Eric goes home, 899 00:38:16,580 --> 00:38:19,040 Hulk is never to be seen on WCW TV again. 900 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:21,670 And for the next 3 months we have Vince Russo and 901 00:38:21,670 --> 00:38:24,840 a booking committee mapping out WCW's story lines. 902 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:26,590 So much had happened, 903 00:38:26,590 --> 00:38:29,590 there had been so many attempted restarts and reboots 904 00:38:29,590 --> 00:38:32,970 and changes of direction that the entire promotion 905 00:38:32,970 --> 00:38:35,600 was sort of in a state of shell shock. 906 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:37,730 Once the bleeding started, it was a consistent 907 00:38:37,730 --> 00:38:40,310 deterioration of WCW's business. 908 00:38:40,310 --> 00:38:45,030 [Indistinct commentary and shouting] 909 00:38:45,030 --> 00:38:46,440 Everything was very spontaneous, 910 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:48,660 in the moment: "What gets me excited now?" 911 00:38:48,660 --> 00:38:51,200 Learn the meaning of the world discipline, ladies? 912 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:53,280 [Indistinct shouting] 913 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:54,620 He was doing a lot of segments 914 00:38:54,620 --> 00:38:56,540 with himself involved. 915 00:38:56,540 --> 00:38:58,000 [Indistinct commentary] 916 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:00,290 Well, he was brought in to be a writer. 917 00:39:00,290 --> 00:39:03,040 And then, he'd write himself into the show. 918 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:05,380 And, write himself as one of the 919 00:39:05,380 --> 00:39:06,920 main characters in the show. 920 00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:08,930 This is my show! 921 00:39:08,930 --> 00:39:10,800 This is my house! 922 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:12,510 And these are my people! 923 00:39:12,510 --> 00:39:15,180 I'm just going to be 1000% 924 00:39:15,180 --> 00:39:16,600 completely honest with you. 925 00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:19,100 As far as an on-air character, 926 00:39:19,100 --> 00:39:23,270 I felt that I was better than 80% of that roster. 927 00:39:23,270 --> 00:39:25,730 They put so much pressure on me, bro, 928 00:39:25,730 --> 00:39:29,400 that I made the mistake of saying, "You know what? 929 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:32,370 F' it. If you want ratings, 930 00:39:32,370 --> 00:39:35,120 I will go out there and get ratings myself." 931 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:38,040 I almost get killed, bro. 932 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:40,870 I almost got killed. 933 00:39:40,870 --> 00:39:42,880 [Crowd shouting] Oh! Whoa! 934 00:39:47,300 --> 00:39:49,550 What I'm looking for tonight is ratings! 935 00:39:49,550 --> 00:39:51,470 Big ratings! 936 00:39:51,470 --> 00:39:54,300 And we're gonna deliver, you son of a bitch! 937 00:39:54,300 --> 00:39:56,720 Like, to this day, people think that's who I am. 938 00:39:56,720 --> 00:40:00,100 That's why so many people dislike me, 939 00:40:00,100 --> 00:40:01,940 hate me who don't know me because 940 00:40:01,940 --> 00:40:04,610 they think I'm my character. 941 00:40:04,610 --> 00:40:07,150 Knock it off, know your place. 942 00:40:07,150 --> 00:40:09,070 He put the belt on himself. 943 00:40:09,070 --> 00:40:11,450 He became champion somehow, 944 00:40:11,450 --> 00:40:13,870 which I just thought was kind of self-serving. 945 00:40:13,870 --> 00:40:15,990 I can't even imagine, you know, 946 00:40:15,990 --> 00:40:19,830 what brought that on except for childhood dream... 947 00:40:19,830 --> 00:40:22,250 that every one of us have had. 948 00:40:22,250 --> 00:40:24,080 So, I get Vince doing it. 949 00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:25,880 I don't think it was a good idea. 950 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:28,300 But, I get it, and he had a lot of heat, 951 00:40:28,300 --> 00:40:31,470 you know, internal and external. 952 00:40:31,470 --> 00:40:33,050 [Shouting commentary] 953 00:40:33,050 --> 00:40:35,970 Bro, listen, I never thought I was a wrestler. 954 00:40:35,970 --> 00:40:40,140 Again, this is a television show. 955 00:40:40,140 --> 00:40:42,390 All I'm trying to do is 956 00:40:42,390 --> 00:40:44,810 entertain an audience. 957 00:40:44,810 --> 00:40:46,360 [Indistinct commentary] 958 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:48,190 Bro, I should have never gotten in the ring. 959 00:40:48,190 --> 00:40:51,110 I was really concerned about my health. 960 00:40:51,110 --> 00:40:53,990 They were hurting me on purpose. 961 00:40:53,990 --> 00:40:57,200 First of all, with Goldberg, he's supposed to spear me 962 00:40:57,200 --> 00:40:59,290 into the entranceway. 963 00:40:59,290 --> 00:41:02,790 And I told him ten times: 964 00:41:02,790 --> 00:41:04,250 "Bro, I got a concussion. 965 00:41:04,250 --> 00:41:08,590 Like, just please work me to the entranceway." 966 00:41:08,590 --> 00:41:10,050 What does he do, bro? 967 00:41:10,050 --> 00:41:12,050 He spears me right into the iron rail. 968 00:41:12,050 --> 00:41:15,720 [Indistinct shouting] Whoa! 969 00:41:15,720 --> 00:41:19,310 Come on, come on, man, like no question about it. 970 00:41:19,310 --> 00:41:20,810 If I wanted to intentionally hurt him 971 00:41:20,810 --> 00:41:23,100 he'd be underground right now. 972 00:41:23,100 --> 00:41:25,140 And anyone who doesn't believe that 973 00:41:25,140 --> 00:41:26,770 doesn't know anything about me. 974 00:41:29,820 --> 00:41:32,320 I think so, without a doubt. Without a doubt. 975 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:34,490 And that was it, that, that spear, 976 00:41:34,490 --> 00:41:37,620 that was the one that put me away, that was it. 977 00:41:37,620 --> 00:41:42,330 Why am I putting my health on the line when, obviously, 978 00:41:42,330 --> 00:41:44,830 nobody gives a crap about this company anymore? 979 00:41:44,830 --> 00:41:47,130 Russo! I'm here! 980 00:41:47,130 --> 00:41:48,540 And I'm waiting, Vince. 981 00:41:48,540 --> 00:41:51,460 So, the last show that Vince Russo is credited 982 00:41:51,460 --> 00:41:54,880 to have written is the October 2nd, 2000, 983 00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:56,930 edition of Monday Nitro. 984 00:41:56,930 --> 00:42:00,430 He gives an interview the next day on WCW Live, 985 00:42:00,430 --> 00:42:02,720 lamenting everything that was going on in the company, 986 00:42:02,720 --> 00:42:05,810 and then he's gone from the picture after that point. 987 00:42:05,810 --> 00:42:07,440 This is Russo in 2000, baby. 988 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:08,860 Hulk Hogan... 989 00:42:08,860 --> 00:42:11,110 I don't give a damn. 990 00:42:11,110 --> 00:42:14,360 You think I care about Eric Bischoff? 991 00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:16,570 I could give a damn. 992 00:42:16,570 --> 00:42:21,080 Ratings 2.7, 1.7, 0.7. 993 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:22,620 I don't care. 994 00:42:22,620 --> 00:42:25,080 Vince Russo losing his job next week, 995 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:27,920 I don't give a damn. 996 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:29,130 ♪ 997 00:42:29,130 --> 00:42:31,670 When I see this, and I see that guy there, 998 00:42:31,670 --> 00:42:34,710 it really reminds me of how much I hate the business. 999 00:42:34,710 --> 00:42:36,010 I mean, I'm gonna be honest with you. 1000 00:42:36,010 --> 00:42:37,970 I mean, there's a lot of people that 1001 00:42:37,970 --> 00:42:40,970 don't like me saying that. 1002 00:42:40,970 --> 00:42:42,810 That's the fact of the matter. 1003 00:42:42,810 --> 00:42:47,100 It really brings me back to the, the damage, 1004 00:42:47,100 --> 00:42:51,440 emotionally, that this business did to me. 1005 00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:54,150 That's ab- absolute truth. 1006 00:42:54,150 --> 00:42:55,990 God honest truth. 1007 00:42:55,990 --> 00:42:59,070 And then, those same politics exist today. 1008 00:42:59,070 --> 00:43:01,910 ♪ 1009 00:43:01,910 --> 00:43:05,080 What is the fate of WCW? 1010 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:06,910 We're talking about a company that, at its peak, 1011 00:43:06,910 --> 00:43:09,620 was generating in the neighborhood of $200 million 1012 00:43:09,620 --> 00:43:12,960 a year, and a huge part of pop culture. 1013 00:43:12,960 --> 00:43:14,800 It's a hit every Monday every night. 1014 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:16,050 But it wasn't anymore. 1015 00:43:16,050 --> 00:43:17,760 It was so bad! 1016 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:20,840 The bickering, the in-fighting. 1017 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:22,180 We're Time-Warner. 1018 00:43:22,180 --> 00:43:24,470 Is it that important to own a wrestling company 1019 00:43:24,470 --> 00:43:27,480 that's losing money, bleeding massively? 1020 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:29,310 I'll sit and watch the ----ing thing sink 1021 00:43:29,310 --> 00:43:31,020 from my ----ing house. 1022 00:43:31,020 --> 00:43:32,860 It didn't feel like a family anymore. 1023 00:43:32,860 --> 00:43:34,860 You had to look out for yourself. 1024 00:43:34,860 --> 00:43:37,400 What's gonna happen here? Are they gonna stick with this? 1025 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:38,900 Are they not gonna stick with it? 1026 00:43:38,900 --> 00:43:42,660 I said, "Brad, why don't you let me explore 1027 00:43:42,660 --> 00:43:46,700 selling WCW while it still has some value?" 1028 00:43:46,700 --> 00:43:48,410 Going out! 1029 00:43:48,410 --> 00:43:50,330 We thought we were coming to work like a regular day. 1030 00:43:50,330 --> 00:43:51,670 Do you know anything? 1031 00:43:51,670 --> 00:43:54,000 And no one knew until that night. 1032 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:57,300 Because the fate of WCW 1033 00:43:57,300 --> 00:44:00,010 is in my hands.