Bruce Prichard On Vince McMahon Being Worried About Big Show Dying Young, Brock Lesnar Ribbing Him
Recently on Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard, the former member of the WWE braintrust talked about The Big Show and the big man's WWE run.
Apparently, The Big Show used to think that showing up and being a giant was all the effort he needed to put into his WWE run.
"The Big Show was immature at that time and he felt that he was a giant and just felt that he simply had to show up and be a giant and that was enough. And we needed more. We needed a working giant. We wanted a giant and an attraction that wanted to be on top and was willing to do whatever it took to get there."
When asked whether there is any truth to the rumor that Big Show fell asleep during a production meeting, Prichard did not confirm or deny the story and instead offered that 'The World's Largest Athlete' would sometimes do more harm than good when trying to endear himself to others.
"Big Show had his moments. Let's just say that. And there were times that The Big Show would try to endear himself to everyone and sometimes he would do more harm than good in his efforts. But Show did not come back in the best cardio shape, was really not working as hard as he could have to improve. If you want to improve, watch the best, and leaving early and doing things like that don't endear yourself. It doesn't endear yourself to the office. It doesn't endear yourself to the other talent."
On the subject of Big Show's demotion to OVW, Prichard explained that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was worried that Big Show would die prematurely, much like Andre The Giant.
"Vince was very concerned that if Show didn't take care of himself, he would die at a young age. He didn't want that to happen. He really wanted this guy to have a career and for him to be healthy because he already has one strike against him. He wasn't doing it and [Vince] felt like the only way [Big Show] would take it seriously is if we sent him back down to OVW."
Prichard indicated that the decision was made as a culmination of things including poor eating habits, failing to do cardio exercise, and smoking tobacco products.
"There wasn't any final straw. It was a combination of things and it was the effort over a few weeks with Big Show where we saw he came back not in shape [and] his cardio was horrible. You would get the lip-service, 'I'm eating healthy. I'm eating chicken breasts and dry pasta and salad and vegetables. I quit smoking.' And then, he'd be out by the [production] truck having a smoke with Krispy Kreme donuts." Prichard said, "Vince had just had it and it wasn't one match or one night or anything like that. It was a culmination of Show not being able to perform at the level we were looking for him to perform at."
According to Prichard, current WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar once took a large bite out of every donut Big Show ordered, probably three or four dozen.
"One of these times Show was on a diet and taking care of himself and eating healthy. Harvey Whippleman walks in with I think three or four dozen Krispy Kreme donuts. Brock stops him and says, 'hey, Krispy Kreme! Who are those for?' 'Oh man, these are Big Show's' and he's like, 'all of them?' 'Yeah, but don't tell anybody.' So Brock goes in to every donut and takes a huge bite out of every donut and puts them back in the box and goes, 'take them to him now and tell him who did it.'"
Not a rib. If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard with an H/T to WrestlingINC for the transcription.