Former WWE Writer Recalls Shawn Michaels Finding Out He Was A "Bret Hart Guy"

As previously noted, former WWE creative writer Michael Notarile was recently a guest on The New Day: Feel The Power. Among many other things, Notarile discussed his fandom of WWE Hall Of Famer Bret 'Hitman' Hart.

Notarile talked about an interesting interaction he shared with WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund regarding his victory over Hart for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series (1994). Notarile told a funny story about meeting Hart at a business meeting and getting him to sign his childhood Bret 'Hitman' Hart action figure.

Apparently, Notarile cried when Backlund defeated Hart for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series. Backlund no-sold the news.

"Quick side note – 1994, Bob Backlund put Bret Hart in the [crossface] chicken wing at Survivor Series," Notarile said. "Owen Hart got Stu Hart to throw in the towel. I bawled! I told Bob Backlund that story, I was like, 'Do you know what? You made me cry when you unfairly beat Bret Hart with the chicken wing. Bob Backlund straight up went, 'Okay.' He went back to eating his sandwich! He did not care!"

During the podcast, Notarile recalled his first meeting with Hart, which came prior to his writer's stint with WWE. As the story goes, Notarile met with Hart about developing his book into a television series. Notarile also had the ulterior motive of having 'The Hitman' sign his action figure from childhood.

"When I met Bret, I met him before WWE. I wanted to develop his book, which is a really cool book, into a TV show," Notarile explained. "And very long story short, I guess he had an email address from a letter I wrote him as a kid. Somehow, my email got into his address book, he sent me an email about something, I think by mistake. I wrote back. I was like, 'I want to develop your book into a TV show.' This is before I worked at WWE.

"He's like, 'I'll be in Anaheim [California]. If you want to meet at the Anaheim hotel, in the lobby, we can talk about it.'" Notarile continued, "I'm like, 'Alright, I'll meet you.' I put my wrestling figure in my bag. If he could sign the figure I played with, how awesome would that be, right? I put it in my bag, I go to the hotel, I'm in the hotel, and I'm looking around and I'm like, 'Oh, I'm definitely on a prank show. Like, I got to make sure I don't pick my nose or do anything – there's definitely cameras on me right now.'

"Bret Hart walks in. I'm like, 'Oh my God! He really accidentally emailed me.' He walks in and he goes, 'Are you Mike?' We sit down. I'm like, 'Oh my God! This is so cool talking about the book, talking about the book,' but in the back of my mind, the whole time, I'm like, 'I've got to get him to sign this wrestling figure, but how do I do it?'

"So he's talking. I'm telling him my favorite match ever, him and Piper, and I'm getting him to talk about it," he added. "And I go, 'Do you know what? It's so funny – my mom was like, 'You should bring your wrestling figure to get Bret to sign it.' And I'm like, 'Mom, I'm going to meet Bret Hart! It's a meeting. I have to be professional! Come on!' Bret's like, 'Oh, I would've signed it for you!' I'm like, 'Great, I brought it right here.' And he signed it."

According to Notarile, Road Dogg told Michaels that Notarile was a "Bret guy" when he started as a WWE writer, potentially trying to stir up some issues. Notarile stated that 'The Heartbreak Kid' took it in stride.

"I remember Road Dogg telling HBK, 'Do you know what? This guy is a 'Bret guy.' I'm just letting you know he's a 'Bret guy,'" Notarile recalled. "And to HBK's credit, he's like, 'Look, we all have our guys. My guy is [Ric] Flair. Everyone has a guy.'"

During the podcast, Big E stated that Hart, who recently discussed the origins of the 'Hart Foundation' stable, is one of the nicest WWE Legends.

"I'd have to say Bret's the nicest Legend," Big E said. "I've have to think about it, but he's definitely up there. One of the nicest Legends I have ever met."

Click here to listen to the show or use the embedded player below.

If you use any of the quotations that appear in this article, please credit The New Day: Feel The Power with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.