Leaked memo from WWE execs - an underlying problem?

[Poop Master Flex]

Source:

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/279793-leaked-wwe-memo-reveals-interesting-orders-from-vince-stephanie-a-kevin-dunn-

I came across this article today and I thought it was quite interesting to say the least. I'm not gonna question whether or not its true because I don't know but that's fine because it's not what I want to talk about (so please no "its fake" answers as its not the point of this thread).

In short this article is about a WWE memo from a few years back that was given to the staff which asks the performers/commentators not to say/do certain things on television or backstage. Although what it's saying is pretty small it points to a larger underlying issue that I feel is happening in WWE, that issue would be that nothing feels real or organic anymore in wrestling.

Now this article isn't asking too much from their staff in reality but it also shows just how anal the WWE can be when it comes to their staff. I've heard literally hundreds of stories over the years about Vince and one of the things I hear most is how controlling he can be. Now it's his company and his prerogative but I also feel its showing up on weekly television and PPV's as well. These days its obvious how scripted everything is, now that's fine and good except for 1 MASSIVE thing: When things are too scripted the audience doesn't buy into anything. If someone is giving a promo and its scripted, 99 times out of 100 its obvious they're reading off a script and if its obvious they're reading off a script you just aren't going to buy into what they're saying, it's how it works.

Now wrestling is a lot like movies and television in that way. As an audience we know and accept that what we are seeing on television is all smoke and mirrors, we know what we are seeing isn't real but the thing is it doesn't matter. When you watch a really good show or movie, you as an audience member suspend your belief and buy into what is happening on television, it doesn't matter if the setting is on a different planet and its acted by CG aliens, if the acting is good and the storyline is good then you buy into it. That works in a movie environment and TV environment but not in a wrestling environment. Why? Because wrestling is live. You don't know how an audience will react, you don't know what will happen. You can manipulate the situation to get a desired reaction but sometimes that manipulation doesn't work, sometimes you need to improvise to make something work and this holds true whether its a match or a promo.

Hands down my biggest issue with WWE is that nothing is believable, nothing is organic. Sure they have good talent, sure they put on good matches, but with the exception of 3-4 guys I just don't buy anything that happens. When I see a match with nothing but high spots its fun to watch but at the same time I wanna put my fist through a wall because its so fake. The reason why people say they want wrestling to look real is because it has to if you are ever gonna get the desired results you want. It's OK to say "this is wrestling, this is pre determined" but if you are watching a match and it doesn't look or feel real then as an audience you just aren't gonna buy into it, no matter how much awesome stuff happens in the match.

Now this brings me to my point. WWE has got to stop tight-gripping their staff and let them do their thing. Have enough confidence that your workers know what they are doing and let them do it. If they screw up bad (like swear or make a Benoit reference) then deal with it accordingly but when they give memo's like this (or any other orders like this) it takes away from the performance and waters down the product.

Anyways that's my 2 cents on this article. So what do you think? Should WWE stop strangleholding their talent and just let them do their thing? Does their constant micro management take away from the performance?

 

[Voice of Reason]

I agree 100%. If you look back at all of the promos that are considered truly great, they're all things that the wrestlers came up with on their own. The Summer of Punk, Austin 3:16, virtually everything that Flair and Hogan did. It was all them. Because here's the thing: it has to be. If they aren't able to come up with their own lines that feel natural to them, then that means that they're playing a character that isn't right for them. The biggest reason why The Rock and Steve Austin finally took off the way they did is because they started playing characters that they created on their own. For god's sake, when Austin first showed up, Vince made him the freakin' Ringmaster, and The Rock was still Rocky Maivia with the stupid hair. Nobody made them great, they had to make themselves great.

That's the real problem with things like that memo. It's just another indication that Vince is taking away these guys' ability to be creative. The sad thing is, I don't think he even realizes what he's doing. I think he's really convinced that John Cena and CM Punk are only as big as they are now because of him. He doesn't understand that the reason fans started loving them is because they started being themselves. That's why I think D-Bry is starting to take off.

What really worries me is that Stephanie is apparently in total agreement when it comes to this crap. I was very hopeful that all of this would stop once Vince finally left and Triple H took over. Now I'm a little less certain. I guess all we can do is wait and hope. And yell at them as much as we can.

 

[joduke41]

The WWE is a victim of their own success.Basically they think they make all the right moves and their shit don't stink.There is no creativity when you are the top dog.Like playing a game with all the cheat codes.Vince seems to think he is the smartest guy in the room.But it is more like he had success because of other people's abilities.Watching a scripted WWE produsct is like going to a elementary school play and watching kids fumble through their lines.

 

[SmartMarksUnite]

The whole premise of this thread is exactly why you people are spouting your opinions on an internet chat room and not working for the WWE. You think when people are reading off a script, the audience can tell it and they are not compelled to get engaged. That's one of the most ridiculous comments I've heard in a long time, but it's indicative of the IWC.

Seriously consider what you're saying, that having everything scripted diminishes the product and the audience won't "buy into anything." Ever heard of a movie or a television show? They are entirely scripted from beginning to end and yet, people "buy into them" every day. People laugh, people cry... people feel a connection. What causes that connection? The words? No. It's the delivery of those words and the most successful wrestlers in the WWE understand that.

Rock has never written his own promos. He went from using WWE creative to having his own writer dedicated to his character. Ever hear him off script? He's a dumpster fire. Watch the segment where Cena called him out for writing key words on his arm (common trick to remember and keep to the script). Rock was unaware Cena was going to do that (it was also scripted on Cena's end but Rock was not let in on it so his reaction would be spontaneous).

The difference between a Rock or Austin and a Zach Ryder or any member of the 3MB is simple- Acting. Rock and Austin, along with every other successful main eventer is a good actor and is able to deliver the lines in a way that makes people connect with them. And yes, despite what you've heard, Austin was scripted too. I worked for the company and I watched these guys pacing at guerrilla, trying to remember their lines. They are taught to take key words from each part of the script and to use them to stay on track. The producer who sits with the doc ringside or the producer backstage will give them time cues. Watch next time and you will see them look for their times.

I will also tell you this- Danial Bryan was never expected to get over big in WWE because he is a lousy actor. Know why he has that beard? Because he can't stop cracking smiles at inappropriate times and he is not great at using his face to help tell the story. The beard distracts and it's not a secret backstage. In WWE today, it doesn't matter if you can wrestle, it matters if you can act and the company is in the business of creating experiences. Wrestlers are lectured to create fan experiences in matches and promos by performing their moves or delivering their scripts using dramatic pauses and staccato talking to demonstrate anger and passion.

Cena, like him or not, delivers in his promos night after night and he does what he's told to do in matches. If you think he chooses to hold back (he actually knows quite a few moves and holds) because he chooses to only use the same handful of moves in match after match, I have a bridge in NY to sell you. It's done to preserve his body and keep him healthy. He's the cash cow and while he doesn't appeal to adult males, he DOES appeal to women (moms included) and kids who pester the crap out of their parents to buy ppv's and merchandise.

In short, you've heard my words spoken by a variety of WWE superstars and I know a little bit about what I am saying. You might also be interested to know we wrote scripts for RAW weeks in advance and storylines were written in linear forms up to 6 months out. I had nothing to do with the last long Wrestlemania one, but that's a year out. The scripts are never "rewritten" as Wrestlezone often reports, but they are ALWAYS tweaked on show day. People's moods change, creative direction from the top is often shifted based on polls and trends, wrestlers get injured or something as simple as a cold will make them sound like garbage and a promo is scrapped, opening up a segment that must be filled.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

A guy comes to bad mouth me and can't even spell Daniel, yep you sure showed me.

Reading off a script doesn't work in a live forum, it just doesn't. You don't have people to constantly edit your work, you don't have infinite takes and you don't have weeks of rehearsal time in advance to perfect every little thing. You gotta be able to play off the crowd and you can only do that by improvising. Not only that its a character you play over 100 times a year for multiple years, you gotta be able to keep it fresh from time to time so it doesn't get stale.

Also with guys like Cena, Rock and Austin they would get a script but what was seen on TV was their version of the script, not verbatim. You can most certainly tell when someone's reading off a script because a lack of emotion is shown in their delivery, if you really can't tell then you must be really, really dense, its not that hard.

You call them actors and although that's true in a sense its not entirely accurate. Wrestlers are also athletes and there are certain rules that apply in wrestling that don't apply on a sitcom because its wrestling. Maybe its personal preference (although I don't think I'm close to alone on this) is wrestling is best when you believe in what's going on. It doesn't mean thinking what your seeing is legit it just means suspending belief when the show is on. Also wrestlers pretty much live their characters as they perform so much, if someone is gonna live their character its a lot easier to buy into it if they have control over it as it gives them something to sink their teeth into. They know best what they can do, can't do so let them use their judgement. Or you know they can continue to hope Cena never gets injured because he's one 3 good actors on the roster.

This isn't complex dude, next time you come on here make a real argument instead of the "well you're a stupid IWC mark" approach.

 

[Alastor]

All these beliefs that wrestling cannot be scripted or something has to be 'real to me' feel so 30 years ago. Wrestling and society has progressed, it is either adapt or be phased out. Try going unscripted for 90+ shows a year with new content required for half of those shows. It will probably all go down to I want your title, NO the title is mine blah blah blah ad nauseum.

I am sure wrestlers can improvise, but they do have certain points and words they need to use during the promos. What separates the Cenas and Austins from the Bryans is the ability to improvise well while keeping to point.

Regarding the leaked memo in the link, I don't feel anything was wrong with the instructions. Saying a title changed hands doesn't sound as good as wrestler X WON the title. Using 5 star matches or match of the year will remind viewers about other great matches and get them to compare them, distracting from appreciating an enjoyable match.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

All these beliefs that wrestling cannot be scripted or something has to be 'real to me' feel so 30 years ago. Wrestling and society has progressed, it is either adapt or be phased out. Try going unscripted for 90+ shows a year with new content required for half of those shows. It will probably all go down to I want your title, NO the title is mine blah blah blah ad nauseum.

I am sure wrestlers can improvise, but they do have certain points and words they need to use during the promos. What separates the Cenas and Austins from the Bryans is the ability to improvise well while keeping to point.

Regarding the leaked memo in the link, I don't feel anything was wrong with the instructions. Saying a title changed hands doesn't sound as good as wrestler X WON the title. Using 5 star matches or match of the year will remind viewers about other great matches and get them to compare them, distracting from appreciating an enjoyable match.

I think you misunderstood when I say it has to feel real. Think of a real good movie, you know its fake but if the story and acting is good enough you as a member suspend your belief until the show is over, I'm not talking about "wrestler A really hates wrestler B in real life".

Also yes guys like Cena improvise and keep on point, that's pretty much what I'm talking about. You have to keep on point to keep the story on course but just bullet point what a wrestler is gonna say and leave the rest to them, let them feed off the crowd and think on their own 2 feet, that's all I'm saying. So many wrestlers today sound so robotic and I feel a lot of it has to do with restrictions. Restrictions are fine some times (like no swearing, keep it PG) but when it comes down to thing like don't say "title changes hands" its a little excessive. You can have restrictions and order, but when things sound as rigid as they do today its hard to buy into the product, its hard to buy the stories, the characters, pretty much everything. Talent should be able to do their thing without fear of scrutiny because they phrased something incorrectly, if they do a good job and get the point across why does it matter? Its being anal for the sake of being anal.


Commentating is even worse, it just sounds so utterly ridiculous in its fakeness and it takes me out of an otherwise good match, that's why things should feel organic, if they don't you have no emotional connection and if you have no connection then you are watching for the sake of watching, not because you care for what's going on.

 

[Alastor]

Maybe the talent on mic work just isn't there. To be honest I don't really see what the grief is about. If you are fine with bullet points and restrictions, then what is wrong with having specific words or phases being banned from use?

There are shows with a specific script and shows with heavy improvisations. I'm sure some actors prefer one form over another. The same could be said for wrestlers. Maybe some are more comfortable with the heavily scripted nature too?

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I'm saying don't ban something if it doesn't matter if its said, no audience member ever is gonna get upset by the phrase "title changes hands" and it doesn't matter. The reason it matters is because when you're in a live medium you don't wanna work while on eggshells, it affects the performance and its just something that the talent shouldn't concern theirselves with, besides as I said initially the thread isn't about the memo, its an example.

Also if wrestlers do their best work in front of a live audience by reading a script verbatim go for it, in my experience however (and I got a lot of it) the best stuff is the stuff that's improvised, the stuff that gets the point across and feels organic at the same time. I'm not saying it can't be done, I'm saying it takes a special kind of performer to pull that off on a consistent basis.

 

[H33LTurn]

I certainly do agree with your point. Nothing does feel organic anymore in terms of WWE's presentation. In my opinion they've become victims of the whole "brand marketing" trend thats turning many companies stale. WWE has had to censor a lot of its contents to comply with the demands of the networks that they air on and the demographics that they intend to serve. Its become less about the art form of the industry and more about the money making aspect. Vince's micro managing has gotten so bad over the years that even Stone Cold has pointed it out. WWE is becoming increasingly out of touch with popular culture and now that the Cena bubble has burst, they're starting to realize that the squeaky clean approach to doing business isn't going to work. No one asked WWE to be a wholesome business except for their sponsors. This was never about serving the fans. As long as those sponsors are happy WWE will rake in the dough and nothing will change.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Although what it's saying is pretty small it points to a larger underlying issue that I feel is happening in WWE, that issue would be that nothing feels real or organic anymore in wrestling.

I agree completely. The WWE's product feels watered down and generic. When a wrestler cuts a promo in the backstage area, the entire arrangement feels stilted and unnatural. At no time does any wrestler or announcer feel like he's riffing. Everything feels controlled. The last time there was a spontaneous moment was Dusty Rhodes confronting Triple H and Stephanie. THAT felt real. The hand in the face moment felt like something that would happen. Naturally, there followed a report that Stephanie McMahon disliked the deviation from the script.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I have no idea what is scripted. But between down time and house shows these guys have plenty of time to get down the script whether they write it themselves or have things handed to them. Most of them are basically talking for less than five minutes once a week. The problem is that we've heard the same shit over and over again for years (almost 30 in my case) and that a lot of these guys are shit actors. Although I'd bet they are probably shittier inprovisors. Athletes in general aren't known for their wit.

 

[#tamale]

Should WWE stop strangleholding their talent and just let them do their thing? Does their constant micro management take away from the performance?

This is a very broad generalization. I'm sure they don't micro-manage their top stars. They shouldn't have to. They worked on what they needed to improve and became top stars because of it.

One of the main themes I'm seeing in this thread is people give example like Austin, Flair, Dusty, Foley, etc. Look who you guys are mentioning. They had the talent to pull it off. What about the guys that are stuck? That are having trouble getting over? They need that micromanagement because they need to find their path. Just like if the commentary is crap or anything else that happens within the WWE.

Some shine through immediately, others take time. In those instances, that's when management needs to step in and help. Even then, it doesn't work. Not everything has a 100% success rate.

 

[XxTalonxX]

Just read that probably 10 minutes ago. Reading the memo does give some insight into what the head honchos do.