Also a person called in Wade Keller's post RAW show claiming to be close associate of the writing team. Here's a few tidbits. This is long as this person was on the show for ALMOST AN HOUR!!!!!
Here are things said on the podcast by the close friend of three current WWE writers:
– WWE’s problems are not the fault of the writers. “No one should rip on WWE creative. They have some of the most brilliant, unbelievable cool ideas that I’ve ever heard…” He was told, “We’re writing for an audience of one and never forget that [and if not] you’re out of here.”
– “The most frustrated person in the back every single night is Triple H. He’ll always take, especially the NXT guys, under his wing. It looks like he’s consoling them. It looks so much like he was the most frustrated person in the building every single night.”
– The Wild Card Rule was not in the script on the morning of the show.
– The Superstar Shake-Up changed week to week and it didn’t pan out how it was originally laid out months prior. Everything changed because Vince just decided to change it.
– He talked about the turnover with so many backstage people quitting or being fired.
– SmackDown and Raw writing teams are the same for both shows. They used to be separate but that changed recently after the Shake-Up.
– The caller emphasized that the problems in WWE are not creative’s fault and Vince McMahon is the one person who deserves the blame.
– Vince wants suggestions from everyone but it never gets on TV. 99 out of 100 times you can come up with an idea for Vince and it won’t be used.
– The entire creative team has pitched to have Raw and SmackDown look completely different with different production, a different way of shooting things, etc. and McMahon shoots it down.
– Vince McMahon doesn’t keep track of what is going on with NXT. He “maybe” watches Takeover shows.
– The writers say he just watches WWE and works out and is not aware of things going on in the real world.
– The writers say there is no chance of Vince stepping down.
– Dana Brooke has been the hardest worker for the last 3 years. She goes to the Performance Center, she shows up early and helps set up the ring and she gets in the ring so she can get better. Creative will pitch something for her and she gets nothing up until recently with MITB.
– The caller offered to tell Wade Keller off the air of some cool storylines that were pitched and never used.
– The writer he talked to said, “we’re all working for Dana Warrior and it’s really awkward.”
– The WWE-Fox contract prohibits Fox from moving the show to FS1 even if the ratings drop.
– One writer is very close to quitting because he is so “unbelievably unhappy” and many of the writers are paranoid and think they are close to being fired.
– “It’s such a toxic atmosphere and it’s all because of one person.”
– When Neville walked out, there was a crazy shouting match and he flipped out on Vince McMahon and that was the last time they saw him. The writers praised Neville for being so easy to work with.
– Ideas never pan out as originally planned because writers will come up with stuff and then Vince loses interest after a week or two. He used Mojo Rawley as an example.
– The money is good and it’s a dream job for many writers but it gets frustrating. The talent is very unhappy and people are trying to get out of their contracts.
– The writers say Bruce Prichard is a pleasure to work with. “He’s a funny guy and a pleasure to work with but he’s not getting through to Vince either.”
– Shane McMahon, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon have tried to talk to Vince but it hasn’t worked.
– The people on the writing staff listens to podcasts and they hear fans bashing them. “It breaks their heart,” he said.
– Vince is in the announcer’s ear “to a sentence” and he gets on them for tiny mistakes.
– On Sami Zayn: “That’s not Sami Zayn’s promos. That’s Vince McMahon talking through Sami Zayn.”
– There are 37 total writers and they are now working on both shows.
– NBCUniversal and FOX both want the top stars.
– Andrade went into Vince’s office and asked for a legit push. Vince looked at him and said, “learn some English and get back to me.” Andrade spoke some English last week and he’s been taking English lessons.
– The Firefly Fun House stuff is all Bray Wyatt’s idea. Bray is described is an “absolute genius” and he helps other wrestlers with their promos. “He’s one of the best guys in the locker room.”
– The writers he talked to say they loved when there was a real brand split.
– He mentioned The Revival/Usos storyline being done because Vince just thinks its funny.
– Some of the writers think Road Dogg will eventually end up in AEW. (Note: Road Dogg is currently on hiatus and there’s no word on when he will be back or what he would be doing if he returns).
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A few thoughts from me. The podcaster I listen to who is good friend with Dogg tweeted him asking if he was at RAW 2 weeks ago. Dogg said no I'm just sitting on my coach watching RAW like the rest of you and there's been no hints if he'll come back. Dogg is apparently really frustrated with Creative and there is talk he might go to AEW
I also heard from people on Bray Wyatt that yes a lot of the ideas are his but people like Hunter, Triple H, Undertaker, Sting and others are involved with this as well giving their ideas and suggestions. It's been rumored that Bray Wyattt will be booked as Takers son in some way
I heard the Shake Up names changed constantly. At one point AJ/Finn/The Club/Reigns/USO's were all on one show or the other TOGETHER. The Women were changing constantly
The USO/Revivl Storyline is a legit punishment to the Revival for refusing to resign. One of the members had 6 months added on for injury so when the contract is over the other member can't leave with the others is done April of next year. In order to debut together they'd have to wait 6 months and by then their momentum could be very well long gone.
I've heard about the writers stories. A few good ones. Matt Hardy is close friends with a podcaster I listen to an even has Matt's number. Matt given that WWE is not going forward with some of the ideas agreed to for Broken Hardy'z allowed him to share a few ideas. There was agreements to bring the whole Broken family together on TV, turn Jeff Broken as well and have a huge storyline with them against Bray (There was legit talk putting the Wyatt Family back together including involving Braun) but for whatever reason it didn't go through. There was suppose to be plenty other great things involving the droid, more then a few final deletions and possible having some sort of feud with Finn Balor's demon character. For whatever reason Vince just didn't care for any of this
If you remember on the shooting and looking different SDLIVE for the first few weeks had a different in-ring Camera angle and other things. Vince was against it tried it and then scrapped the ideas. SDLIVE was supposed to get a new stage and a few of the writers had the stage being set up with some sort of tribute of the Smackdown Fist and first mini titantron on the side of the stage used in the attitude era from what I heard
If you remember a few months ago Dana Warrior Ultimate Warrior's wife was reported as an intern for WWE creative. Well she's apparently now their new boss. All ideas before going to Vince go through here. The creative team doesn't like her at all as they view her as fake and only having the job because Vince felt bad for her. They don't mind her being used for awards and all but she knows absolutely nothing abut the business or writing. Vince doesn't follow anything outside of WWE and may occasionally watch a glimpse of the Takeovers. Outside of RAW/SMackdown and working out Vince is oblivious of the real world from politics to pop culture (That is Creatives job to work with that) etc. If you remember when the beheading happened and people felt WWE shouldn't go I reported Vince didn't care and just viewed it as an inconvenience to his business. Well here's your confirmation of that
There are a ton of unhappy people for sure. I've heard a few things about certain talent wanting to leave or get out of deals as well as people backstage from road agents and other things. I haven't mentioned any names as some are just speculation. One example of this is Finn Balor, and the USOs. There was rumors the USO's wouldn't resign and would go elsewhere but ended up staying. Balor still has I believe 2 yrs on his deal so it's really hard for him to get out of his deal if he wanted to so I doubt this is true. Randy Orton is another who I reported may want to leave. He apparently does have interest in joining AEW at some point in some form either as a backstage guy helping talent or part time in ring competitor with a lighter schedule
Prichard is the one who wrote one of the better RAW's of the year after he came to WWE. However Vince's main guy who HE USE TO LISTEN too can't get through to Vince now. His kids nor his son in law can't either. It's a very difficult situation they are in.
I've been listening to my guys podcast for awhile and WWE has taken his ideas. Cesaro tearing up the suite was an idea he had on his show 4 months prior and Tyson's Kidd Fact catch phrase was used at the Podcast since it's inception. WWE creative has taken ideas from podcasts before for their ideas so when they hear from these shows of them being #### on it really tears them up given they know they aren't the issue and Vince is.
As you can see WWE is just a toxic atmosphere and most of it is because of Vince. If Vince stepped back a bit things could get better but Vince wants to micromanage everything. Talent has legit asked to go down to NXT to get more time or get better. Hunter and others have pitched the ideas IWC has come up with during a shake up why not sent Main roster talent not used down to NXT or NXTUK to work with the talent down there to get air time and help the talent out there. When Cesaro came in and did the whole program with Zayn it was a huge success and very popular. Talent want to legit leave. One of the problems is any other time Vince would just say to hell with you go but given AEW's status and WWE not knowing how their TV Production will go want to figure out what's going on with them first. Work out buyouts with some talent of a no compete clauses etc. Vince DOES NOT WANT AEW GETTING ANY OF HIS TALENT FOR DOUBLE OR NOTHING OR THE FIRST TV VIEWS IN OCTOBER. He was already burned by Moxley and feels he betrayed them. So everyone is in a sticky situation on this. It's not a great atmosphere and it seems like it's a circus in WWE right now. We knew it was bad but we didn't realize it was THIS BAD.
