What are your opinions on Stephanie McMahon today? Have they changed over the years?

[Ambiguous Turd]

I was hoping that this topic would have gotten more attention when I brought it up in the "Apologize to a WWE person" thread for any past remarks you may have made. It didn't. So let's discuss it.

Stephanie McMahon's title is Executive Vice President of Creative Development and Operations.

For years people held her accountable as the Head Writer of the Creative Team for everything that they saw on their screen. And for the most part, the consensus was that her writing was awful.

However, ever since last year's Wrestlemania, it became apparent to me at least, that the Head Writer of the Creative Team is actually Vince McMahon, and essentially Stephanie has basically been given a title for a position, while having to contend with writing exactly what Vince tells her to write.

And every single writer that has left the Creative Team supports that theory and says that "Vince is the Head Writer of the Creative Team". They all say the same thing. Vince tells dictates to everyone what he wants written, who he wants pushed, approves any and all scripts before they go on television, constantly has staff re-writes scripts to his precise specifications, frequently changes his mind on things therefore frustrating creative team members, and so forth.

Michael Hayes had a plethora of ideas he wanted used for the Anniversary Show for Smackdown in 2009 which happened around Mania time. Vince blasted him for not concentrating on Mania, despite the fact that Hayes was trying to produce a better show for Vince. Well, everyone "concentrated" on Mania, per Vince's orders, and what did everyone receive in return? Largely one of the most forgettable Manias in history, despite being Wrestlemania 25 and being billed as a huge Mania.

It is clear to me that his involvement in the Creative Team is extremely heavy and therefore Paul Heyman is correct when he calls Vince the "true Head Writer of the Creative Team".

Stephanie, according to her title, oversees the Creative Team in her list of responsibilities, however as been reported, she isn't traveling to the TV tapings anymore and instead operates out of her office in Stamford. That is presumably so she can watch the kids.

She also oversees Johnny Ace in Talent Relations.

And as I've last heard, she oversees WWE.com after Vince awarded that to her after Vince had another blowup with Shane McMahon over the direction of the website (despite the fact that Shane's responsibilities were overseeing all New Media- which heavily includes the Internet).

I am just curious fast forwarding to 2010, if people's opinions of Stephanie and her exact involvement in the Creative Team has changed, or if people still feel she should be held responsible for every thing you see on TV today.

So 2 questions.

1) Who do you hold more responsible for every thing you see on TV today? Vince McMahon or Stephanie McMahon? Why?

2) What is your opinion of Stephanie McMahon today? Is it any different than past opinions you may have had? Why?

 

[Blade]

Well, according to many WWE wrestlers of past and present, every single little thing that's written for WWE shows have to go through Vince, even the stuff Steph may or may not have written. Whether the crap Steph wrote got onto TV because Vince has a soft spot for his daughter or because his crap barometer isn't as sharp as it once was (come to think of it, has it ever been sharp?), either way, if Steph wrote some of the crap that we saw, it's Vince's fault that we saw it. Everything we see on WWE shows, good or bad, are because Vince let it get onto WWE shows. He even has a say on matches to a certain extent, apparently. So I've got nothing against Steph, you can't be mad at her just for being a shit writer.

Today, I don't think of her much as a backstage force in the WWE, I'm indifferent to her. Probably that's because I don't see her on WWE TV, so I forget that she's there. But like I've said, if she's still writing anything for WWE it still comes down to what Vince wants. And anyway, I always prefer to think as Stephanie Mcmahon as an on-screen character rather than a backstage worker because I have better memories of her that way. Overall, I've got nothing against Stephanie.

 

[Tastycles]

I'm not so sure we can truly ascertain what Stephanie's role is without being in the company, but given the fact that just about everyone with a behind the scenes role at WWE has indicated that Vince is a megalomaniac, it is unlikely that she does have ultimate control. Without knowing exactly who does what, you can't really hold anyone accountable for the direction WWE is taking except for Vince McMahon, in the same way you hold the Prime Minister accountable for everything that happens beneath him.

I fancy that a lot of what Sidious said is speculation, but it wouldn't be surprising if it was true. The fact that she is operating from an office is huge. At any TV taping, there are always going to be changes made at the last minute, because of things like injuries, time concerns and other such unforeseen circumastances. If she isn't there, and Vince is, then it is hard to see that anyone would be answering to her at all.

As for my opinions of her, they are fairly muted and what they have always been pretty much. I think she does an ok job, but wouldn't be in her position if she wasn't the boss' daughter. There's nothing wrong with that, plenty of business families go that way, but you can't ever imagine her leaving the company the way Shane did. Shane has, in my opinion, proven himself to be a worthy businessman in his own right, and this kind of thing has been said by people who actually know what they are talking about.

The fact that she is in this position where she can't really leave the company weakens her position, and it is perhaps unsurprising that these allegations of her being undermined by her father are being made. The fact of the matter is ultimately that it doesn't matter who is doing that job, they are going to be regularly shut down, and basically WWE creative writers have to make the best of what they are given, which is perhaps why they have generally done better with more bullish writers in the past, who can leave, and will take McMahon on, so to speak.

 

[gully side adidja]

1. i believe it's vince in control of creative,because as you know vince is a fan of lame comedy,hence the bad comedy segments,plus if it was stephanie,the bella twins vs kelly kelly and layla would be a main event for a show by now.

2.damn she looked so sexy when she was gm of smackdown back in 02-03,now not so much,her personality still seems the same though.

 

[tsull2121]

Eh, everyone knows by now that no matter WHAT gets written, Vinnie Mac always has the final say. Think of Chuck Berry on the Gong Show.. Vince introduces them but is waiting in the background with the big hammer to hit the gong and send the idea packing.

As far as my opinion of Steph goes.. I dont like her much anyway, you wold think that someone who was raised in a wrestling family (and technically stephanie is the FIRST third generation diva that was in the wwe) she'd have "more on the ball" so to speak, than she seemingly has.

Stephanie is Vince's puppet.. I have zero respect for her. Shane took his stuff and walked away frm under daddy's wing.. that takes balls.. Stephanie wont EVER leave the company.. her useless husband works there and so does her daddy.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Eh, everyone knows by now that no matter WHAT gets written, Vinnie Mac always has the final say. Think of Chuck Berry on the Gong Show.. Vince introduces them but is waiting in the background with the big hammer to hit the gong and send the idea packing.

As far as my opinion of Steph goes.. I dont like her much anyway, you wold think that someone who was raised in a wrestling family (and technically stephanie is the FIRST third generation diva that was in the wwe) she'd have "more on the ball" so to speak, than she seemingly has.

Stephanie is Vince's puppet.. I have zero respect for her. Shane took his stuff and walked away frm under daddy's wing.. that takes balls.. Stephanie wont EVER leave the company.. her useless husband works there and so does her daddy.

Maybe she is happy and content with what she does. Have you thought about that? We've been critical of her in the past when it turns out that Vince McMahon has the final say-so in all that is written. If Stephanie likes where she is it, then so be it and I have all the respect in the world for somebody like her unlike you.

I do hold Vince McMahon responsible because he's the final authority on everything. I'm sure some of the writers have great ideas that would work in the WWE but if Vince doesn't like them, then they are not going to get put out there plain and simple. If he actually trusted his writers, than maybe the overall product would be better.

 

[maar130]

I really don't think of her as much, since like everyone says, Vince is the last filter and everything goes through him. She might write something but the last look up is Vince's.

Now with her family and she maybe a little more away from the company that she was before so even if she has some input there probably is not as much as in the past.

 

[Razor]

When I read the title, I thought "What the hell? Why would I care about Stephanie McMahon?" I think that statement alone embodies your entire post, Sid. If I may be so bold as to say so.

Without going into the inner workings of the Creative Team, which I don't really give a shit about, the entire idea presented by the WWE is that Vince is the man in charge. He is the Chairman of the Board. Going past being a fan and into smark mode, everything that is read (at least by me) presents Vince as the Head of Creative. He shoots down angles, draws up completely ridiculous ideas despite what his writers may protest, and he completely kills angles at a moment's notice. Sure, that's his right, he owns the company after all. Stephanie McMahon may have some input, but Vince McMahon has the final say. And I believe he will until he either dies or is forced out.

To tell you the truth, I never had much of an opinion on Stephanie McMahon. She was the hot daughter of Vince McMahon that showed up from time to time, and she used to be GM of Smackdown (I'm flying off the top of my head, tell if I'm wrong). Sure, I knew she is technically the Head of Creative, but I've never seen her as such. I see her as yet another writer on Vince's payroll. And that's as I've always seen her.

Now, that applies to today as well. I don't really care about Stephanie McMahon. If I see a skit on Raw I despise, or a angle on ECW that I totally love, I won't be mailing my letter to Stephanie McMahon. I will be mailing it to Vince McMahon, as he is the accepted lead of Creative, in my mind.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

When I read the title, I thought "What the hell? Why would I care about Stephanie McMahon?" I think that statement alone embodies your entire post, Sid. If I may be so bold as to say so.

Without going into the inner workings of the Creative Team, which I don't really give a shit about, the entire idea presented by the WWE is that Vince is the man in charge. He is the Chairman of the Board. Going past being a fan and into smark mode, everything that is read (at least by me) presents Vince as the Head of Creative. He shoots down angles, draws up completely ridiculous ideas despite what his writers may protest, and he completely kills angles at a moment's notice. Sure, that's his right, he owns the company after all. Stephanie McMahon may have some input, but Vince McMahon has the final say. And I believe he will until he either dies or is forced out.

To tell you the truth, I never had much of an opinion on Stephanie McMahon. She was the hot daughter of Vince McMahon that showed up from time to time, and she used to be GM of Smackdown (I'm flying off the top of my head, tell if I'm wrong). Sure, I knew she is technically the Head of Creative, but I've never seen her as such. I see her as yet another writer on Vince's payroll. And that's as I've always seen her.

Now, that applies to today as well. I don't really care about Stephanie McMahon. If I see a skit on Raw I despise, or a angle on ECW that I totally love, I won't be mailing my letter to Stephanie McMahon. I will be mailing it to Vince McMahon, as he is the accepted lead of Creative, in my mind.

You may certainly say so.

However, you and I both know that a few years ago when Stephanie McMahon was placed "in charge" of the Creative Team, the entire IWC was preparing to have her crucified because of the awful job that "she" was supposedly responsible for.

However, with all due respect, I think people let their markhood for Vince McMahon cloud their vision of how the Creative Team really worked, and simply didn't want to accept that what they were seeing on TV was Vince McMahon's doing, not Stephanie's.

I don't see nearly as many people blasting Stephanie anymore. And I think it is beginning to sink in that it is everyone's idol, Vince McMahon, who is responsible for what they see on their TV screens today. So as that sinks in, I think some opinions are beginning to change on Vince from several years ago.

So that was why I did the thread. I wanted to see who changed their mind, and actually address the topic of Stephanie, since instead of talking about it, I have seen people not discuss the topic at all. That tells me something because a few years ago, people were blasting her left and right.

 

[JJohns]

1) Who do you hold more responsible for every thing you see on TV today? Vince McMahon or Stephanie McMahon? Why?

I hold Vince solely responsible for what we see on TV. Everything that airs has to get his approval. That is partly why we are seeing characters like Slam Master J, because Vince thinks that it will work. That is why, no matter how much derision there is within the creative department about it, we still have the Guest Hosts for Raw.

This hasn't changed for years. Look even as far back as the Stalker (Barry Windham) when he came in. He was a heel character. By the time he debuted, he had done a 180 and was now a face. All on the whims of what Vince McMahon wanted. Another great example is Kizarny ("Sinn Bowdee").

2) What is your opinion of Stephanie McMahon today? Is it any different than past opinions you may have had? Why?

My opinion for Stephanie is that she tries, but until Vince finally steps away (more than likely due to his passing) that she isn't going to have that much real power within WWE. This is the same opinion I've had since she was the figurehead GM on Smackdown.

I just can't fault her for anything within WWE creative as long as Vince refuses to give her more authority. I give her kudos for not going to the shows and working from the home office as it now doesn't give the illusion to anyone that she had any real power to begin with.

 

[Toroc102]

Ehh the only thing I ever really held against Stephanie was that she married HHH and for all we know changed the course of wrestling history. Aside from that, whenever I want to critiize or praise what I see, I either address Vince or WWE.

I don't know how many ideas or which one's Stephanie's shot down, if she's ever had any good ones, or any other writer for that matter. I know Vince Russo was heavily involved with the Attitude Era, but to what extent? I don't know. All I know is that Vince McMahon has final say on everything, that he is the absolute ruler of the WWE world, and if I'm going to blame anyone for anything that goes on in the WWE it's going to be Vince, because I don't know what storylines/angles to attribute to which Writers.