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Bruce Prichard Discusses His WWE Release, Tension Amongst the WWE Creative Team And More

Bruce Prichard Discusses His WWE Release, Tension Amongst the WWE Creative Team And More

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 By: CMBurnham

Bruce Prichard Discusses His WWE Release, Why He Is Not Bitter About Leaving World Wrestling Entertainment, Tension Amongst The WWE Creative Team During His Time With The Company, Having Storyline Ideas Rejected By Vince McMahon/The Importance Of Being Creative On The Fly, The Beginnings Of The ?Brother Love? Character (And His Favorite Memories On ?The Brother Love Show?), Debuting The Undertaker To A Worldwide Audience At The 1990 Survivor Series (And If He Feels The Forthcoming Collision Between The Brothers Of Destruction Will Spell The Swan Song For ?The Dead Man?), Why You Should ?Never Say Never? About The Thought Of Him Coming Into TNA?s Creative Team, His Reasons As To Why EV2.0 Is A ?Very Poor Business Choice? On The Part Of TNA, Why Seeing Tommy Dreamer Cry Made Him Want To Cry, The Mystery & ?Gaga? Behind The Hulk Hogan/Jeff Jarrett vs. Sting/Kevin Nash Storyline, & Why Steve Austin Deserves Credit For ?Stone Cold? (And Not Vince Russo)

Courtesy: www.MondayNightMayhem.com

Former WWE Vice President of Talent Relations/member of the WWE Creative Team/WWE producer & manager, and the man behind the success of the Brother Love character, Bruce Prichard, was one the special guests on this week?s live edition (08/23/10) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem (presented by Good Health Natural Foods). You can feel The Mayhem live every Monday night (at 7PM ET/6PM CT), exclusively on The Monday Night Mayhem Radio Network (www.MondayNightMayhem.com, www.AudioWrestling.com, www.Hybrident.tv, www.iTunes.com, www.Facebook.com/MondayNightMayhem, www.Twitter.com/FeelTheMayhem, & www.MySpace.com/MondayNightMayhem).

Bruce joined The Big Mosh, Jimmy Noonan, & ?The Chairman of the Board? Todd Vincent for his first post-WWE interview exclusively on ?Your Home of Wrestling Radio? (to promote his all-new podcast on www.WebTalkRadio.net, ?Something to Wrestle With?), which is now available in Windows Streaming Media or via Monday Night Mayhem?s official Podcast on iTunes:

Bruce Prichard/Monday Night Mayhem Interview (MNM Streaming Audio): www.mondaynightmayhemarchives.com/waxfiles/082310.wax

Bruce Prichard/Monday Night Mayhem Interview (MNM Podcast on iTunes): www.mondaynightmayhemarchives.com/aug10/082310.mp3

Interview highlights courtesy of The Mayhem?s official correspondent, Paterson from New Jersey:

His release from the WWE & why he?s not bitter about leaving: ?I was fired: plain & simple. I was let go, and we had some differences and I was let go. That was it. We just had differences, and it was time to part ways, and after 22 years, you can?t look back and listen to guys who are so bitter about their experiences after they?re gone. To be bitter about something after doing it for so long, you gotta look at yourself in the mirror and say ?Who?s the dumbass?? I was there for 22 years, and I had a fabulous run, and I wouldn?t trade it for the world. When it was time to part ways, it was time to part ways, and we did.?

The importance of having to create on the fly in the WWE & how it was essential to be in ?go-time? mode, despite the frustration behind having storyline ideas being rejected by Vince McMahon: ?You haven?t done enough hours of radio in your lifetime. You haven?t lived enough hours of radio in your lifetime to be able to contain the number of ideas that had been laid out in detail to only be squashed because someone wasn?t ?feeling it? or someone might say ?Someone tripped in a match last night, can?t do it, and they?re horrible, get rid of them.? And you?re sitting there like ?What just happened?? There are so many, but at the end of the day, it was what we do. To me, at the same time, as aggravating as it was, it was also the most fun, because that?s when it was ?go-time.? You had to create on the go.?

Tensions amongst the WWE Creative Team while Bruce was with the company & why he feels Steve Austin deserves the credit for the success of ?Stone Cold? Steve Austin? (and not Vince Russo): ?There were times when you just had to buckle up & go; there was always tension. Once it got past that initial creative discussions, then you had to go sell it to talent, and then you had to get talent to go out & deliver your vision. I listen to guys all the time, and one of the things I always get amazed by is when different people & guys who have written or booked in this business take credit for something the talent does. There?s a guy over in TNA (Vince Russo) who has taken credit over the years for the creation of ?Stone Cold? Steve Austin, The Rock, & people like that. At the end of the day, the guy who deserves credit for ?Stone Cold? Steve Austin is Steve Austin. He went out & delivered. Steve went out, and he was ?Stone Cold? Steve Austin 24/7. When Russo used to write up all these scripts, Steve would look at it, crumple it up, & throw it in the trash. Steve would go out, and he had a rapport with Vince McMahon, and he used to come to me and say ?I wanna say this.? I said ?Hey man, that?s life, so if you wanna take the ass-chewing when you get back, do what you think is right.? After a while, Steve gambled, and went out, and he did what he thought was right. He had an ear, and he knew what was working, and what they buying & weren?t buying, and at the end of the day, it may not have been the ideal creative situation that was created, but Steve made it his own, and made it bigger than anything that?s ever been done in the business. Without talent, you can have the greatest creative in the world?if they can?t deliver, it doesn?t matter.?

His favorite moments performing as Brother Love: ?I have to say head & shoulders from the initial era of ?The Brother Love show? was from Saturday Night?s Main Event, with Hulk Hogan, Slick, & The Big Boss Man, where Hogan handcuffed me & clotheslined me over the top rope, and it was first time anyone had ever gotten to me?and it was Hogan. So it was the first time anyone ever put their hands on me, and that was a great moment. My favorite one for sentimental reasons was finally doing something with The Undertaker in Philadelphia, when Paul Heyman put me in a box, and I came out as a gift for The Undertaker. That was my personal favorite.?

Why you should ?never say never? about the thought of him coming into TNA?s Creative Team: ?Never say never in life and especially in this business. The things that would have to take place to come in & help: they need a lot of help, they need to make some drastic changes. I don?t know if they would be willing to make those changes or not, but if they were willing to make those changes, then it may be a good fit. It has to be a good fit for them & for me. I?m willing to listen to anybody & everybody these days?life?s too short. To say I would/yes, I can?t say that. To say I would say no, can?t say that either. I would have to listen to what they had in mind and go from there. But at this point, I think the show?s a mess, and I?m not saying anything here that I wouldn?t say to them. You need help, you need some direction, some kind of stability, or some kind of direction to get the rutter in the water and moving forward. Right now, they are bailing; they are just trying to get water out of the boat.?

Why he believes EV2.0 is ?a very poor business choice? on the part of TNA, why seeing Tommy Dreamer cry made him want to cry, and the mystery & ?gaga? behind the Hulk Hogan/Jeff Jarrett vs. Sting/Kevin Nash storyline: ?I look at TNA, and I see what they?re doing with the rehash of the ECW guys. Let?s look at facts. ECW went out of business because it didn?t have enough fans to support it and to keep it a viable company in business making money. Fact: Every one of those guys in the ring with the exception of Tommy Dreamer was calling the WWE begging for a job to get out of ECW because they hated the conditions, they hated working there, they hated everything about it, and wanted to get out, and to hear them talking that ?It was the greatest thing? and ?We wanted just one more night.? Seeing Tommy Dreamer cry makes me want to cry. You have a company that went out of business; an attempt of a resurrection through WWE (they tried to continue it). It was something you couldn?t continue in any other atmosphere other than that Bingo Hall in Philadelphia?that?s where the magic was made, and frankly, the magic was made in how Paul Heyman packaged what they did. And for TNA to take that and say ?Hey this is going to revive us.? Wait, didn?t those guys put another company out of business? Didn?t it fail when they tried to do it with the big company that had a lot of money? I just think it?s a very poor business choice on their part. You have Kevin Nash, Hulk Hogan, Jeff Jarrett, & Sting involved in something. There?s too much mystery, there?s too much gaga. You got Ric Flair with eight guys holding up four fingers, I don?t get it. I really don?t the TNA program at all. It?s really hard to follow and makes you go huh??

His thoughts & opinions on the current state of the wrestling business, if he feels that the business is ?dead,? & why he?s not a big fan of the PG WWE: ?It?s kinda hard to say. Someone asked me the other day if I thought the business was dead and if UFC had basically taken its place. I don?t think you could ever ?kill? the business. I think the business has to evolve & the business has to change with the times, and I think it?s doing that. Sometimes I?m not in favor of doing some of the changes. I?m not a big fan of PG/PG-13 with the WWE, and I watched the other night when they had the Divas come out in one-piece bathing suits. I mean c?mon, it could be PG/PG-13, and they could still wear bikinis, and be hot, and show they?re bodies off. Sometimes they take a certain thing to the extreme that doesn?t necessarily have to be that extreme. The business is always going to change & grow.?

More is contained in this exclusive interview with the former WWE Vice President of Talent Relations, including his candid thoughts/comments on the beginnings of the ?Brother Love? character, debuting The Undertaker to a global audience at the 1990 Survivor Series, if he feels the upcoming collision between The Brothers of Destruction could be the swan song for ?The Dead Man,? which talents during his run in World Wrestling Entertainment took ideas from the WWE Creative Team and made them successful, plus so much more in the first post-WWE comments from Bruce Prichard. Follow Bruce right now on his official Twitter account (located at www.Twitter.com/BrucePrichard). We strongly encourage all members of The Mayhem Nation around the world to log on www.WebTalkRadio.net and listen to Bruce?s weekly podcast, ?Something to Wrestle With,? the only place you will hear the battle stories & the behind the scenes realities from years past & the backroom stories of today!

Monday Night Mayhem (voted on by you, the fans as the ?Show of the Year? in the 2009 & 2010 Wrestling Radio Awards) is presented by Good Health Natural Foods (the official all-natural snack food of The Mayhem; use the promo code MONDAY and receive 15% off your total online purchase: www.GoodHealthNaturalFoods.com/ghnf_nonprod/monday_night_mayhem.html), and is also sponsored by: Sizzlin Sauces (the official hot sauce of The Mayhem & the proud presenter of ?The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff? heard exclusively on MNM: www.SizzlinSauces.com), Ticket Relief (the official online traffic school of The Mayhem; register today for your simple & hassle-free defensive driving course and save 20% by using the promo code MAYHEM: www.TicketRelief.com), & B. Brown Video? ?(where you can relive the moments & memories of professional wrestling?s rare & vintage moments: www.BBrownVideo.com).

Check out the official Monday Night Mayhem Audio Vault, along with the official MNM Podcast on iTunes, and listen to select programming & audio content from the past five+ years of The Mayhem. You can re-live interviews with some of your favorite WWE superstars/divas & NXT rookies (Chris Jericho, CM Punk, R-Truth, Christian, Ted DiBiase, ?Dashing? Cody Rhodes, Kaval, ?The Glamazon? Beth Phoenix, & Gail Kim), WWE Hall of Famers (?Stone Cold? Steve Austin, Bret ?The Hitman? Hart, ?Rowdy? Roddy Piper, Ricky ?The Dragon? Steamboat, Terry & Dory, Jr. Funk, Harley Race, ?Superstar? Billy Graham, Nick Bockwinkel, ?The Million Dollar Man? Ted DiBiase, Tito Santana, Greg ?The Hammer? Valentine, ?Mr. Wonderful? Paul Orndorff, ?Cowboy? Bill Watts, Bob Orton, Jr., George ?The Animal? Steele, Koko B. Ware, ?The Mouth of the South? Jimmy Hart, Jim Ross, ?Mean? Gene Okerlund, & Jesse Ventura), plus some of the biggest names in the worlds of sports, entertainment, & Hollywood (Ice-T & Coco, TLC/Vh-1′s Rozonda ?Chilli Thomas,? Dennis Rodman, Jim Kelly, Curtis Granderson, & Michael Buffer). Hear these interviews & many more right now by logging onto www.MondayNightMayhem.com, and don?t miss all-new episodes of ?Your Home of Wrestling Radio? every Monday evening live at 7PM ET/6PM CT along the airwaves of the Monday Night Mayhem Radio Network!

 

Tags: Bruce Prichard, WWE, Brother Love, TNA, Jeff Jarrett, Sting, ECW, Ric flair

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Spotlight in History

  • 1937 Hugh Nichols def. Bobby Chick for the NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 1980 Gino Hernandez def. Kevin Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 1984 The Super Destroyers (Super Destroyer 1 & Super Destroyer 2) def. The Rock & Soul Connection (Buck Zumhofe & King Parsons) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
  • 1989 Super Zodiac & Cactus Jack def. Jeff Jarrett & Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW World Tag Team Champion
  • 1989 Super Zodiac def. Eric Embry for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 2007 Brent Albright def. Rocco Valentino for the NWA-U Universal Heavyweight Champion
  • 2007 Texas, Inc. (Tim Rockwell & Bernard Funk) def. Mass Destruction (Spoiler 2000 & The Bounty Hunter) for the NWA-U Universal Tag Team Champion
  • 2012 Ignition def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Champion
  • 2012 Super Skunk Ape, Jr. def. Se7en for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 2018 Jerry Dean/Jerry Storm became the BPW Lion Heart Champion
  • 2018 Aaron Anders def. Michael Wolf for the ComPro Heavyweight Champion
  • 2023 Brody Wortman def. Skidz for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Skidz def. Brody Wortman for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Jason Simon def. Skidz for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Drake Gallows def. Jason Simon for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Punk Synister def. Drake Gallows for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Jason Simon def. Punk Synister for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Brandon Groom def. Jason Simon for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Punk Synister def. Brandon Groom for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Jason Simon def. Punk Synister for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Nibira def. Jason Simon for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 2023 Mikey O'Shea def. Nibira for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion

Week of Sun 05-19 to Sat: 05-25

  • 05-19 1937 Hugh Nichols def. Bobby Chick for the NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-19 1980 Gino Hernandez def. Kevin Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-19 1984 The Super Destroyers (Super Destroyer 1 & Super Destroyer 2) def. The Rock & Soul Connection (Buck Zumhofe & King Parsons) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
  • 05-19 1989 Super Zodiac & Cactus Jack def. Jeff Jarrett & Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW World Tag Team Champion
  • 05-19 1989 Super Zodiac def. Eric Embry for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-19 2007 Brent Albright def. Rocco Valentino for the NWA-U Universal Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-19 2007 Texas, Inc. (Tim Rockwell & Bernard Funk) def. Mass Destruction (Spoiler 2000 & The Bounty Hunter) for the NWA-U Universal Tag Team Champion
  • 05-19 2012 Ignition def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Champion
  • 05-19 2012 Super Skunk Ape, Jr. def. Se7en for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 05-19 2018 Jerry Dean/Jerry Storm became the BPW Lion Heart Champion
  • 05-19 2018 Aaron Anders def. Michael Wolf for the ComPro Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Brody Wortman def. Skidz for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Skidz def. Brody Wortman for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Jason Simon def. Skidz for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Drake Gallows def. Jason Simon for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Punk Synister def. Drake Gallows for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Jason Simon def. Punk Synister for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Brandon Groom def. Jason Simon for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Punk Synister def. Brandon Groom for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Jason Simon def. Punk Synister for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Nibira def. Jason Simon for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-19 2023 Mikey O'Shea def. Nibira for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 05-20 1980 Junkyard Dog def. Terry Gordy for the MSW Louisiana Champion
  • 05-20 2006 Impact Inc. (John Zorthos & Bernie Donderwitz) def. The Old School Assassins (Brad Michaels & Seth Allen) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-20 2006 John O'Malley became the IZW Cruiserweight Champion
  • 05-20 2017 Robyn Reid def. Erica for the IZW Womens Champion
  • 05-20 2017 Beach Bod Gods (Angel Camacho & Ray the Bae) def. Nemesis (Rage Logan & Damien Morte) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-20 2017 Kevin Morgan def. Johnny Z for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-20 2017 Riker def. Mr. Nasty for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-20 2022 Wesley Crane def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-20 2023 Royal Pimpin' (Alex Royal & Mr. Nasty) def. Southern Aristocracy (Eddie LeVaughn & Anthony Wild) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 05-20 2023 Cappuccino Jones def. Dan Webber for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-21 1971 Dusty Rhodes def. Bill Watts for the TSW North American Champion
  • 05-21 1984 Kevin Von Erich def. Killer Khan for the WCCW Television Champion
  • 05-21 2004 Cade Sydal def. X-Cal for the SRPW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-21 2004 Michael Faith def. Butch Dalton for the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-21 2004 New Canada (AWOL & Jon Davis) def. Sexy Bologna (Anthony Jackson & Sudden Impact) for the TPW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-21 2016 Skylar Slice def. Athena for the IZW Queens Champion
  • 05-21 2017 Von Erichs (Marshall Von Erich & Ross Von Erich) def. The Arrow Club (Kyle Hawk & Ky-Ote) for the IWR Tag Team Champions
  • 05-21 2017 Von Erichs (Marshall Von Erich & Ross Von Erich) def. The Arrow Club (Kyle Hawk & Ky-Ote) for the TCW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-22 1955 Mike Clancy def. Ricki Starr for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-22 1985 The Nightmare [1st]/The Masked Champion/The Champion def. Terry Taylor for the MSW North American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-22 2009 Texas Outlaws, Inc. (Tim Rockwell & Bernard Funk & Bobby Burns & J. W. Hardin) became the TAP Tag Team Champions
  • 05-22 2021 DNR (Drake Gallows & Revan) def. Rejecs LM (Elijah Sparks & Dr. Corvus) for the EPW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-22 2021 Father Padge def. Revan for the BCW Buzzsaw Champion
  • 05-22 2021 Paul Puertorico became the XDWF New GenX Champion
  • 05-23 1984 The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton) def. The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 05-23 2004 Se7en & Li'l Joe def. Bernie Donderwitz & Mr. Brown for the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-23 2004 Li'l Joe def. Bernie Donderwitz for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-23 2009 Maniac Mike def. Kareem Sadat for the SWCW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-23 2009 Sage def. Rage Logan for the SWCW Cruiserweight Champion
  • 05-23 2010 Damien Morte def. Crisstopher Crow for the SWCW Cruiserweight Champion
  • 05-23 2015 Brad Michaels def. Jermaine Johnson for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-23 2020 Cody Burns def. Drake Gallows for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-23 2021 Luke Savage def. Garcia for the ASP Mid-American Champion
  • 05-23 2021 Malik Mayfield became the ASP Livestream Champion
  • 05-24 1954 Rocco Perez def. Frenchy Roy for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-24 2020 Shawn Sanders became the ASP Mid-American Champion
  • 05-25 1986 Terry Taylor def. Buzz Sawyer for the UWF Television Champion
  • 05-25 2013 Brock Landers became the SWCW All-American Champion
  • 05-25 2013 The American Pitbulls (Craig Stevens & Jason Jaxon) def. The Investment (Jason Noal & Jay Sinn) for the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-25 2019 Zakk Sinizter def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Apex Champion
  • 05-25 2019 Simply the Future (Alex Royal & J. D.) became the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 05-25 2019 Proclamation (Ethan Cole & Reed) def. Simply the Future (Alex Royal & J. D.) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
05-19
  • Will Chambers May 19th Today!
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  • Andre the Giant May 19th Today!
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  • Gemini [2nd] May 24th
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  • Dark Journey May 25th
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  • Guy Atticus May 25th
  • Reggie Lincoln May 26th
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  • Fuel May 31st
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  • Anna Jackson Jun 1st
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