VINCE MCMAHON DISCUSSES TABOO TUESDAY, THE CURRENT STATE OF WWE AND SAYS "NOT EVEN DISNEY CAN DO WHAT WE DO"
Vince McMahon is among those quoted in the 10/18 edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, discussing the Taboo Tuesday PPV. In regard to the PPV, McMahon said, ""We wanted to get out of our Sunday rut. . . . This event is all about newness and its revolutionary status." While touting the WWE product, McMahon said, "Our intellectual property is unique. It comes alive and . . . allows itself the venue of film, of video games, any medium. You may like a movie, but you can't see that movie performed live. An actor may make some kind of appearance, but it won't be the same. . . . Even Disney can't do (what we do). The closest you get is 'Disney on Ice.'"
McMahon noted the current state of the business, but countered by saying that the environment allows for the creation of new stars, saying, "The good thing about now, when we're not at the top of our game as we were a few years ago, is that it lets new stars evolve logically, just like in Hollywood." You can insert your own thoughts on the Invasion or Randy Orton vs. Triple H storyline "evolutions" here.
While discussing the process for creating new stars, McMahon said, ""Any time you try to force someone on an audience, saying 'Hey, he's a star,' they reject it. . . . We're in the entertainment business, but we know you can't (expletive) the public. If I'm pushing an idea too hard and they don't like it, they'll push back."
RANDY ORTON ON JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE REPORT
by Adam Lebow & Willie Ingram
Randy Orton on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Shown on ABC
12:05-1:05 am (local time)
Late Thursday Evening - Early Friday Morning
Kimmel has Andy Dick on the set and introduces Orton saying that he is like his father and grandfather. Kimmel introduces Orton as the Youngest WWE Champion and as the Legend Killer, promoting Taboo Tuesday all at the same time.
Orton says he missed the segment earlier but was scared by the Vice President segment earlier in the show. Orton said he flew in from the European Tour that they just did. He said the fans are thirsty for wrestling over there. Kimmel asks if they wrestle on the plane and Orton says only when they start drinking. Kimmel remembers Cowboy Bob Orton and they show an old photo. Dick loves the hat. Kimmel says Randys dad had a broken wrist for 15 years, Randy says it is still broken today. Kimmel shows a photo of Bob Orton Sr. and mentions that Orton then grew up around wrestling.
Orton said it was like any other kid, where they see their dad doing a job and want to follow in their footsteps, in his case it was wrestling. Kimmel asks if he saw wrestlers often and Randy says all the time the guys would come over and eat dinner, guys such as Andre The Giant, Honk Tonk Man and another who I missed was mentioned. He gives a quick story how Andre once broke the banister at his house when he was going down the stairs.
Kimmel asks who Orton is facing at Taboo Tuesday. Orton says Flair. Kimmel says he is 85 years old, Orton says he is 55. Kimmel and Orton agree he is 97. Orton explains that at Taboo Tuesday. Fans take part in choosing the match he will have. Kimmel says the reason why it is called Taboo is because Orton will be facing a 97 year old man. Kimmel says fans will vote on what senior citizen Randy will kill at the PPV. Kimmel says he will be praying for Flair tonight, promotes the PPV and goes to break.
MISC STUFF
The word going around was the paid attendance at the Taboo Tuesday PPV last night was around 3,800-4,000.
WWE has already signed up one competitor who didn't make it into the Million Dollar Tough Enough contest. A wrestler by the name of Brian Carlucci really impressed WWE management after tearing his biceps during the first day of training, then completing an obstacle course with his arm injured the second day. Although he was cut from the contest, management signed him to a developmental deal. Some of the officials at the tryouts used Carlucci as an example of the heart they were looking for in their future superstars to the others. The Tough Enough footage will begin airing this Thursday on Smackdown.
World Wrestling Entertainment's lawsuit against Jakks Pacific, THQ, and former executive Jim Bell has been picked up nationally by The Associated Press in every market you can think of. Bell's attorney, John Williams, told the AP, "I'm not going to take the position this is a pristine operation. I think not every `i' was dotted and not every `'t' was crossed. Whether in fact it cost WWE any money is a different question." The press releases on this matter can be found elsewhere in the Newsletter. Shares of Jakks Pacific have dropped 13 points since the announcement of World Wrestling Entertainment's lawsuit yesterday.
WWE 24/7 has announced their programming for the month of November. The featured Legend for their Hall of Fame show will be Junkyard Dog, with several WWF and NWA matches featuring JYD also available. Survivor Series 1990 and 1997 will also be available, as well as new episodes of the History of ECW and the Monday Night Wars. The Old School selection will be a Boston Garden card from February 1986. The Buried Treasure will be the Monday Night Raw episode where Vince McMahon explains why "Bret Screwed Bret." They will also be playing the Shawn Michaels - From the Vault DVD. With the exception of the JYD matches and the house show, it's all fairly recent content.
Chris Catanese, who currently receives WWE 24/7 on his cable system in Pennsylvania, sent word that the older house shows and TV episodes that are currently playing are clipped down. The house shows from 1976 and 1983 are cut down to 75 minutes each. I have to tell you, that hurts, but on the "glass is half full" side of looking at things, it's better then not being able to watch the footage at all.
Shawn Michaels has been working the last few weeks with a really banged up knee. The word going around at Raw was that he further aggravated it in the three-way match and may need surgery.
Charlie Haas had a scope on his injured knee this week. He is expected to be out of action for about a month. The internal hope is that Haas will be able to return within 2-3 weeks.
The Japanese media announced that the Raw and Smackdown brands will tour Japan at the same time in February of 2005. It sounds like we could have TV shows from Japan, just like we did this week from England.
From what we have heard from WWE sources, the beating that Kane took at Taboo Tuesday from Gene Snitsky was to explain his absence while he is away filming "Eye Scream Man". Kane will join John Cena on the "away making a flick" list.
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