TAKE PWTORCH
WITH YOU! Get our iPhone App (FREE!): Click Here Or enter "PWTorch.com" on your Blackberry or other Smart Phone browser for mobile-version of PWTorch.
WWE News
WWE News: Insightful Stephanie McMahon interview - competing with Shane, reading Newsletters, disagreements with Triple H Nov 3, 2009 - 12:06:43 AM
WWE executive Stephanie McMahon had a very interesting interview with Powerslam Magazine that was published after her husband, Triple H's, very interesting and revealing interview on the state of WWE business. (Read Part 1 and Read Part 2 of Hunter's interview.)
Stephanie was interviewed by boxing writer Danny Flexen prior to her brother, Shane McMahon's, announcement that he is leaving WWE effective January 1, 2010.
-- Stephanie on competing with Shane: "Our roles don't exactly cross over that much. But I can't deny that we are, and always have been, competitive. ... I think our type of competition is a good kind: it drives us both on and makes the business better. But I cannot foresee a day when my dad (Vince McMahon) hands over the reins to either of us. He's still very much in charge -- and, trust me, everyone knows it."
-- Stephanie on arguing with her husband, Triple H: "We actually don't (argue) much at all, except in the business. Sometimes, you can take your work home with you and sometimes you don't. But we always work things out."
Caldwell's Analysis: Stephanie and Hunter have different philosophies on many aspects of the business. Hunter is perceived as a student of the game who would like to see wrestlers brought up the old-school way where they learn how to be a wrestler before they ever sniff the main roster in WWE. Stephanie has more of a marketing background on how to market wrestlers without necessarily keeping a strict eye on what works in a traditional wrestling storytelling sense. I'm sure that's where they butt heads at times.
-- Stephanie was asked if criticism of her job performance bothers her. She responded: "It used to, but I decided that people are going to think whatever they want to think. I try to do the best I can do. I don't read the dirt sheets at all anymore: they used to really bother me."
-- Stephanie on the WWE travel schedule: "I think we worked it out ... I don't have the figures in front of me, but the averages days worked per year was actually a lot lower than you'd expect. We always try to keep the balance right, and I know that's something (WWE VP of talent relations) John Laurinaitis is always thinking about. The brand extension means it's worse than it was, but it also means there are more opportunities available for the guys who want to work."
Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.
INCREDIBLE BENEFITS! Over 50 full-length audio updates per month (iPod compatible)... New weekly award-winning Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter (text and printable pdf versions) with latest exclusive insider news, new Torch Talks, great columns, Keller's cover story, much more... Hundreds of full-length back issues of PWTorch Newsletter from late-'80s to today... Ad-free access to PWTorch.com's Main Listing... VIP Forum with interaction with other subscribers and Torch staff... Torch Talk Library with text and audio of hundreds of interview installments from last 20 years... Great layout... Deepest archives on pro wrestling history anywhere... Keller's PWTorch Today PDF Bulletins with email alerts... VIP Email reports on major PPVs and TV shows... Staff Roundtable Reviews (text and audio) followiing major events... The best staff of writers and world class reporting since 1987... We'd love for you to join us and experience the most entertaining, authoritative, experienced staff of professional reporters and commentators in the business...
Compare the value of four or five months of PWTorch VIP content to the price of just one PPV. Can you cut 25 cents a day from your budget to make room for PWTorch VIP?
AND NEW FOR 2009! Monthly "Vintage Audio Torch Talks." We are releasing for the first time ever audio versions of our text Torch Talk updates, the historical first series of insider interviews ever. Wade Keller's newsmaking in-depth interviews with wrestling's biggest names are now being made available exclusively to VIP members. But you must be a member each month, as these are not archived, so they are replaced with a new one each month! This debuted in January 2009 with a 68 minute interview with the late "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith. Who's next? Hulk Hogan? Eric Bischoff? The Rock? Goldberg? Jeff Hardy?