Brian Gewirtz Addresses Reports That Vince McMahon Would Rip Up WWE Scripts
Former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz recently spoke to Wrestling Inc about Vince McMahon's reported tendency to rip up scripts on the day of the show. In the past, it's been reported that the former WWE CEO and Chairman frequently rewrote entire episodes of "Raw" and "SmackDown" hours before the shows went on the air. However, the rumors of McMahon's frustrating writing habits may have been exaggerated.
Gewirtz said that he took the reports of McMahon shredding scripts hours before showtime with a "tremendous grain of salt," revealing that he never witnessed it happen when he was a member of WWE's creative team back in the day.
"No script was ever ripped in my presence when I was there. I remember in 2012 when I was able to take a part-time job with WWE, the process was far less dramatic than what some reports would have you believe."
He continued, "Ideally when it comes to SmackDown on Fridays and Raw on Mondays, some version of the script — and hopefully one that remains intact — is done before you show up to the arena." The former writer concluded that it's important to finalize the scripts before the show begins so that the staff has plenty of time to work with the talent and get them ready.
It's been reported that the backstage environment in WWE has improved since McMahon retired. The shows have been described as looser from a production standpoint, and some talents have been vocally supportive of the company's new creative direction under Triple H's supervision.
Gewirtz's new book, "There's Just One Problem: True Tales From the Former, One-Time, 7th Most Powerful Person in WWE," is available now.