PWTorch.com readers are invited to send Ed Ferrara questions about his experiences co-writing TV during Raw's boom period and subsequently for WCW Nitro and TNA's weekly PPV series. When submitting questions, put "ASK ED" in the subject line of the email so we can differentiate them from regular "Ask the Torch" questions and thus quickly forward them to him. Ferrara was interviewed with Vince Russo for the "Ultimate Insiders" DVD released earlier this year and subsequently did a VIP Audio Talk with me with follow-up questions to our DVD interview. Now it's your turn to ask the questions. To send in questions for Ed Ferrara, click here.

Ed Ferrara (photo by Wade Keller, PWTorch)

PWTorch.com reader Ryan asks

From experience working in the WWF, WCW, and TNA, do members of management, creative, etc. have a personal vendetta against the Internet? I often wonder how stupid WWE thinks its audience is.

Ed Ferrara answers:

Don't know what the current clime is, but in the past (especially WWF), management thought it was a blip on the radar. "Why concern ourselves with a group (i.e. internet fans/"smarks") that comprises less than 5 percent of our audience?" If they're smart (debatable topic), they'll have changed their position by now.

The WWE has always had an unspoken (and sometimes spoken) derision of any criticism from the fans. If something is over, it's because the fans "get it." If the fans fart on something, well they "just don't understand what it is that we're doing."

Well, if THE FANS don't understand/appreciate it... who are they doing it for? That's akin to a hot musical act - let's say U2 - puts out a horrible experimental polka party album. If their fans sh- all over it and it doesn't sell, the band would say, "Well, they just don't get what we're doing." No... the fans get that what you're doing sucks. And they'll stop lining your pockets with their money.

Wrestling is a more dangerous beast, however, due to the fierce loyalty of the fan base. I've never seen, in any industry, a fan base that will stick around for YEARS while the product suffers. And, while they're sticking around, they're still plunking their money down, with the desperate hope that "TONIGHT will be the night that the product starts to turn around." I know because I was one of those fans for a long time.

Unfortunately, management only sees the bottom line ($$$), and as long as money continues flowing in, they'll take it as a validation of the product's creative direction, and not listen to the valid criticisms.

It's like our current foreign policy in the Middle East. We're not creating/establishing democracy - with every bomb we drop we're creating future insurgents/terrorists. Similarly, the wrestling business isn't creating/establishing a new fan base - with every "bomb" WWE drops (or TNA, for that matter), they're creating future EX-wrestling fans.

PWTorch.com reader Fish Legs asks

Is there any talent in either WWF or WCW whose career  you think  was really damaged because of the way you and Russo wrote them?

Ed Ferrara answers:

Not trying to skirt the question here, but I can't think of any. So much of that time is a blur, especially today when I rarely look back and think about the smaller things - details of particular angles, etc. That's not to say that it never happened - I'm sure that it did. But I'm equally as sure (especially when speaking about our time in WCW) that there were other factors involved that contributed to any negative effect our booking may have had.

Also, remember that Vince and I only worked TOGETHER in WCW for the first three months of our tenure - then I remained for a few months while he sat out... then he and Eric Bischoff came in and I was (gladly) relegated to the sidelines for a few months. Then we worked together again (though not as a partnership) for a few months after Eric went away again... and then Vince went away again, while I remained up until the final Nitro from Panama City. So for the entire time we were under WCW contract, Vince and I worked as partners for three months, and as co-workers for another three months. Keeping this in mind, I unequivocally think that more talents were "hurt" during the times when we WEREN'T working together than during the time when we were.

PWTorch.com reader Tamir asks

Ed, why did you and Vince Russo do such a crappy job booking WCW? Thanks.

Ed Ferrara answers:

Because we were secretly sent there by Vince McMahon to sabotage and tank the company. With that in mind, I'd say we were 100 percent successful. For what it's worth, we're both still in the employ of WWE, and we're living high on the hog off our fat checks. My latest mission for WWE is to infiltrate and tank The Torch, and I think it's going smashingly thus far. You're welcome. 

Final Notes from Wade Keller:

Ed Ferrara will continue to answer reader questions in coming days and weeks, so keep the questions coming. Direct them here and be sure to put "Ask Ed" in the subject line.

Ed Ferrara has written a collection of short stories called "Dark Consequences." I highly recommend it, especially for fans of Twilight Zone and Tales from the Darkside or horror movies with a sci-fi twist. You can get info on ordering a copy from him by clicking here.

To order the Ultimate Insiders DVD featuring my interview with Ed Ferrara and Vince Russo, together for the time for an interview since their split in WCW, clicking here.

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