Former WWE Ring Announcer On Vince McMahon Not Caring What The Fans Think
Memorabilia Guy recently interviewed former WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts, who was promoting his new book, Best Seat in the House. Below are a few highlights:
Constant changes during a show:
"I'd do Monday Night Raw and go on the air many times without a script because they would rewrite the show while it was happening. I couldn't prepare and it was hard to ask questions and not many people had answers. Even if you did ask questions upper management were not too keen. So I was left out of the loop and left to sink or swim. This was live TV. On social media people love to jump on you when you make a mistake, and there were so many times where I just didn't know what I was supposed to do and hope that was I making the best guess. Otherwise you'd hear about it."
Vince McMahon not caring what the fans think:
"When you do a live wrestling show you have a live audience telling you what they like and what they hate. Instead of appeasing the fans and writing the show the fans like, and believe me they have some of the greatest minds and talent in wrestling, they could put on a Wrestlemania every week. Like the attitude era. You watch it now and its really flat for three hours and once in while the crowd kind of like some of it. It's not the talents fault. As an example, say the crowd really like Cesaro but the company wants you to like Sheamus so they are going to give you Sheamus until you like him in the same way you like Cesaro. Look at Roman Reigns, the company wants you to accept him, but if you like someone else, no you have to like who the company wants you to like. The fans aren't getting a show that is catered for them, it's catered to running with the guys who they want to push.
"The higher-ups at that company are the sort of people who say, 'You're not going to tell us what to do. This is our company and we will run it how we want' ? that's it. Wrestling fans are so loyal they will find one or two things every week that they like about a show, even if they hated everything else. Its unfortunate and I want WWE to thrive. I just want the fans to have great shows and the shows I had growing up. I loved wrestling as a kid because it was great, and I want it to be the same way for current fans. I want the business to keep going strong."
Roberts also discussed working for WWE, what his relationship is like now with WWE, his WWE departure and more. You can read the full interview by clicking here.
Source: Memorabilia Guy