1. I had no idea how big
it was going to be.Copy !req
2. I didn't know what the
NWO was about to become.Copy !req
3. That leg drop wasCopy !req
4. WCW's lift off
into the future.Copy !req
5. If you want surprises,
this is where you come.Copy !req
6. Our show is live,
and you never knowCopy !req
7. what's gonna
happen here.Copy !req
8. We were the #1 cable
rated show forever.Copy !req
9. The NWO!Copy !req
10. We already knew that
we were running thin.Copy !req
11. And I think it showed.Copy !req
12. Did I like it?
Fuck no!Copy !req
13. Bro, 40,000 people,Copy !req
14. and that's what
you're giving them?Copy !req
15. You can't pretend that
people weren't mad.Copy !req
16. Idiots everywhere.
It's just...Copy !req
17. mindboggling.Copy !req
18. Whenever you're
leading a night,Copy !req
19. and now you're not
leading a night,Copy !req
20. there is reason
for concern.Copy !req
21. WCW is
literally unraveling here.Copy !req
22. My wife, she looked
at me like,Copy !req
23. "What are you doing here?"
And I said...Copy !req
24. "I got fired."Copy !req
25. Before our very eyes,
it's falling apart.Copy !req
26. Ted Turner hired idiots to
run a billion-dollar companyCopy !req
27. and, that was
his mistake.Copy !req
28. You cannot sweep this
under the rug!Copy !req
29. this is a —-ing
television show.Copy !req
30. and I don't understand
what he's doing.Copy !req
31. The real reason
men commit lies...Copy !req
32. A lot of changes,
ladies and gentlemen,Copy !req
33. at World Championship
Wrestling...Copy !req
34. over the last 36 hours.Copy !req
35. WCW was one of many thingsCopy !req
36. that I was responsible for,Copy !req
37. and it was the thing
that I liked the least.Copy !req
38. Eric is not,
is not there anymore.Copy !req
39. You know, he was the glue
that held it together.Copy !req
40. I was running it
at this point.Copy !req
41. I didn't want to run it.Copy !req
42. And I wanted somebody
to run it for me.Copy !req
43. And a little bit different...Copy !req
44. And, Bill Busch was the guy
who was sort of in placeCopy !req
45. as an interim when Eric
was no longer there.Copy !req
46. And, he was the acting COO,
in a sense.Copy !req
47. About a month after
Eric had departed,Copy !req
48. Bill Busch makes his first
major move in running theCopy !req
49. day-to-day operations
of the company,Copy !req
50. which is securing
the services of theCopy !req
51. WWF's creative team.Copy !req
52. Busch, he called me
and said,Copy !req
53. "We've made the best
hiring decision ever."Copy !req
54. He said,
"We hired Vince Russo."Copy !req
55. Bischoff was gone, and
I remember Bill BuschCopy !req
56. telling me they were gonna
bring Vince Russo in.Copy !req
57. He supposedly was
some kind of...Copy !req
58. genius, and now we've
lured him from WWF,Copy !req
59. and now we've
got their genius.Copy !req
60. When Vince Russo made the
jump to WCW to runCopy !req
61. that entire ship,
I remember thinking...Copy !req
62. Good for him, great.Copy !req
63. This is the world of
professional wrestling.Copy !req
64. This shit happens
all the time.Copy !req
65. I was excited when I heard
Vince was coming in.Copy !req
66. Good. Finally, like,
something new here.Copy !req
67. I heard that he was a genius.Copy !req
68. Why would Vince Russo want to
leave the WWF and come here?Copy !req
69. I had a degree in journalism,
and I started freelancingCopy !req
70. for the WWF magazine,
where I started writingCopy !req
71. maybe about two
articles a month.Copy !req
72. I would sit in while they
were writing the television,Copy !req
73. and it was so bad that
I started writingCopy !req
74. my own angles in the
magazine that hadCopy !req
75. nothing to do
with the TV show.Copy !req
76. And, I get a call from
Vince McMahon's assistant.Copy !req
77. "Vince wants to see you up
in his office immediately."Copy !req
78. It wasn't
even 9 o'clock yet.Copy !req
79. He had the WWE Raw
Magazine in his hand.Copy !req
80. And said,
"This is what ourCopy !req
81. television show
needs to be."Copy !req
82. I was absolutely shocked.Copy !req
83. It got to the point
where I was theCopy !req
84. head writer of the show.Copy !req
85. Then I get to work
with Ed FerraraCopy !req
86. who was a bonafide
television writer!Copy !req
87. Just- it was real.Copy !req
88. It was real.
You believed it.Copy !req
89. There was a sense of danger,
like you almost had toCopy !req
90. watch it because
you didn't knowCopy !req
91. what they were
going to do next.Copy !req
92. I was definitely influenced
by what WCW was doingCopy !req
93. at the time, without a
shadow of a doubt.Copy !req
94. We were head-to-head,
and you hadCopy !req
95. a lot of people switching
back and forth,Copy !req
96. back and forth,
back and forth.Copy !req
97. So, the idea is,Copy !req
98. you do not give them
the opportunityCopy !req
99. to change that channel,Copy !req
100. because once they
change that channel,Copy !req
101. if something good
is happening on Nitro,Copy !req
102. they're never coming
back to your show.Copy !req
103. It's hard to argue with
the objective data,Copy !req
104. which show that the WWF
actually enjoyedCopy !req
105. a tripling of its revenues.Copy !req
106. The television ratings
went from being anemic toCopy !req
107. skyrocketing to levels people
didn't think of before.Copy !req
108. Absolutely sold out!Copy !req
109. The company was selling
out arenas left and right.Copy !req
110. And, Vince Russo was
the head writer ofCopy !req
111. the WWF during
that time frame.Copy !req
112. Excuse me while
I kiss the sky.Copy !req
113. The Summer Of Love...Copy !req
114. Vince McMahon was starting
another show, Smack Down,Copy !req
115. and he had pushed me
creativelyCopy !req
116. beyond my limits.Copy !req
117. I had three small kids.Copy !req
118. I wasn't seeing them at all.Copy !req
119. I honestly believe I was
on the verge ofCopy !req
120. a nervous breakdown.Copy !req
121. He just expected Ed and
I to write a second show,Copy !req
122. never offered
any more money.Copy !req
123. And, bro, it's like I was
building such a close,Copy !req
124. tight bond, relationship
with Vince thatCopy !req
125. I started asking myself
the question...Copy !req
126. "Does this guy care about me
as much as I do about him?Copy !req
127. Or am I the cash cow
that's writing his show?"Copy !req
128. I was so burnt out,
I broke down andCopy !req
129. I cried in Vince's office,
okay.Copy !req
130. And right then and there-
I went right toCopy !req
131. my office and called
my WCW connection.Copy !req
132. He made the decision,Copy !req
133. what's best for him
and his family,Copy !req
134. and he went after
an opportunityCopy !req
135. to go down to WCW,Copy !req
136. and you're handed
the entire book.Copy !req
137. Write the story.Copy !req
138. There was an awful lot of
enthusiasm at that time thatCopy !req
139. this could be what's
needed to give WCWCopy !req
140. the shot in the arm
that it needed.Copy !req
141. It's a brand-new
Monday Nitro!Copy !req
142. I looked at WCW as
a great challenge,Copy !req
143. and what I saw here was
I saw a whole breedCopy !req
144. of a new bloodCopy !req
145. that was stuck
somewhere in the middleCopy !req
146. because for
whatever reason,Copy !req
147. they couldn't break that
"establishment".Copy !req
148. And listen, man, the day I
walked into that locker room,Copy !req
149. I had every mid-carder
coming up to me.Copy !req
150. I had never met
them before.Copy !req
151. Bro, I'm talking about
like the Malenkos.Copy !req
152. Benoits...Copy !req
153. And the Konnan.Copy !req
154. Unsettling!
Here he comes back!Copy !req
155. Juventuds and all
these great people.Copy !req
156. Man, those guys- ah,
the Rey Mysterios,Copy !req
157. Ultimo Dragons,Copy !req
158. all those lucha guys
that came in and...Copy !req
159. pushing each other
to be the best,Copy !req
160. pushed me to
another level.Copy !req
161. We gon' turn
this motha out!Copy !req
162. Now can you dig it?Copy !req
163. There wasn't anybody better
in terms of ring skillsCopy !req
164. than the mid-carders so,
you know, I think there wasCopy !req
165. more talent there than
people gave them credit for.Copy !req
166. And, I remember
locking eyesCopy !req
167. with Hogan the first time.Copy !req
168. The red and yellow!Copy !req
169. You gotta understand,
when you're a New Yorker,Copy !req
170. there's like a sixth sense.Copy !req
171. Like, you just know
he did not trust me, bro,Copy !req
172. as far as he could throw me,
and he was not gonnaCopy !req
173. believe one word
that I said.Copy !req
174. And I'm gonna come out and
say it- and I've neverCopy !req
175. said this publicly before-
no doubt in my mindCopy !req
176. Bischoff was responsible
for a little of this.Copy !req
177. I am partially responsible
for costing Eric his job.Copy !req
178. Eric is gone,
but Eric's boys,Copy !req
179. the people that he took
care of and made rich,Copy !req
180. were not in tune with
what Russo wanted.Copy !req
181. Don't wake a
sleeping giant.Copy !req
182. I was always a
fan of Vince's.Copy !req
183. I just told him, like,Copy !req
184. "You ain't in
Kansas anymore."Copy !req
185. Like, this ain't WWE.Copy !req
186. 1, 2, 3!Copy !req
187. This is some
fucked up shit.Copy !req
188. Goldberg! Goldberg!Copy !req
189. I had an absolute great
plan, and if you go back andCopy !req
190. watch the first 3 months,
you'll see it.Copy !req
191. And, at that time,Copy !req
192. Jerry Springer was so hot,Copy !req
193. so we always had that
on in the background,Copy !req
194. and what was
Jerry Springer?Copy !req
195. It was controversy with
characters and storyline.Copy !req
196. That's what the show was.Copy !req
197. And basically, that's what
we needed to do.Copy !req
198. He hit him
with a mummy!Copy !req
199. Vince Russo's program,
everything was quick.Copy !req
200. Boom, boom, boom, boom.Copy !req
201. I tried to stay positive,
I was very hopeful.Copy !req
202. But it definitely was a shift
from a more laid backCopy !req
203. sort of atmosphere,
and it's more electrifiedCopy !req
204. and, louder, faster,
that sort of thing.Copy !req
205. It definitely was a shift.Copy !req
206. I know the numbers!Copy !req
207. The numbers are
on the internet!Copy !req
208. And in those three months,
the numbers went up-Copy !req
209. slightly-
but they went up.Copy !req
210. To me, it wasn't about
wrestling at that point.Copy !req
211. It was lots of T&A.Copy !req
212. Woo! Alright!Copy !req
213. He took us in a
direction thatCopy !req
214. even corporate
didn't like.Copy !req
215. Watch it, Billy.Copy !req
216. This is family hour!Copy !req
217. It had a little positive
effect on the ratings,Copy !req
218. but not much.Copy !req
219. Certainly made it
not advertiser friendly.Copy !req
220. Crowbar.Copy !req
221. My job was toCopy !req
222. make this show the
absolute best thatCopy !req
223. I thought it could be,
and to make this showCopy !req
224. to not just please
wrestling fans,Copy !req
225. but to be appealing to an
entire wrestling audience.Copy !req
226. His thing was like,Copy !req
227. we already have a
wrestling audience.Copy !req
228. Let's get the audience that
isn't watching wrestling.Copy !req
229. But bro, if you're a casual
fan and you're watchingCopy !req
230. Judy Bagwell on
a pole match.Copy !req
231. high above the ring
on the forklift now!Copy !req
232. Why would you want
to watch that,Copy !req
233. or a pinata match,
or whatever?Copy !req
234. He's got the pinata!Copy !req
235. This is not WCW.Copy !req
236. This is a comedy act.Copy !req
237. meatballs, and we're
gonna do it all night.Copy !req
238. I don't think it
was for the fans.Copy !req
239. It seemed like,
you know,Copy !req
240. he was entertaining
himself.Copy !req
241. Hey, boys!Copy !req
242. Vince Russo was
just another idiot.Copy !req
243. He's a shit stain.Copy !req
244. And I always thought
in the back of my mindCopy !req
245. that he was there to
lead to our ultimate demise.Copy !req
246. When does
our journey begin?Copy !req
247. On the 7th night.Copy !req
248. Maybe a good theory that
Vince Russo hadCopy !req
249. decent success at WWE
because Vince McMahonCopy !req
250. was there to pick out
what was good and,Copy !req
251. keep that and throw away
what was bad.Copy !req
252. And then, Vince Russo
comes in and,Copy !req
253. he doesn't have that buffer,
or he doesn't haveCopy !req
254. that person
telling him no.Copy !req
255. Never do that!Copy !req
256. The whole group of
people in the officeCopy !req
257. thought he had gone too far
down the road,Copy !req
258. away from
where WCW was.Copy !req
259. Listen, man,
the one thingCopy !req
260. I really started
noticing wasCopy !req
261. every time I turned
around, JJ Dylan,Copy !req
262. and Kevin Sullivan
were having sidebars.Copy !req
263. And as soon as
I looked at them, boom,Copy !req
264. now the politics are
rearing their ugly head.Copy !req
265. So, Busch calls me
into his office.Copy !req
266. He said, "Vince,
we're thinking ofCopy !req
267. going in a direction.Copy !req
268. We're gonna go more
into a, ah, committee,Copy !req
269. and we want you to be
part of a committee."Copy !req
270. And bro, without missing
a beat, I said, "Bill...Copy !req
271. I got a contract.Copy !req
272. The contract states that
I am head of creative.Copy !req
273. I am not interested in any
of your committees."Copy !req
274. I said, "So, I am
going to go home,Copy !req
275. and you guys
can figure outCopy !req
276. how you're
gonna pay me."Copy !req
277. And that was
the end of it,Copy !req
278. and I, I went home,Copy !req
279. and they continued
to pay me.Copy !req
280. Sullivan.Copy !req
281. I just thought it was
such a complete change.Copy !req
282. When he first left,
I said,Copy !req
283. "We're gonna get
back to wrestling."Copy !req
284. Hey guys...Copy !req
285. Benoit,
Perry Saturn,Copy !req
286. Dean Malenko,
Eddie Guerrero.Copy !req
287. When those guys
showed up at TV andCopy !req
288. I wasn't there,
the undercard...Copy !req
289. they went absolutely ballistic,
because they knew.Copy !req
290. They went to work one day,
and Vince isn't here.Copy !req
291. They knew.Copy !req
292. They, they knew
what had happened.Copy !req
293. They were such an
intricate part of the show.Copy !req
294. But, they weren't
Nash, Hall,Copy !req
295. Hogan, Macho Man.Copy !req
296. They could've been.Copy !req
297. But, they weren't.Copy !req
298. So, in an effort to try to
make it up to those guys andCopy !req
299. calm everybody down,
Sullivan made the decisionCopy !req
300. to put the
belt on Benoit.Copy !req
301. Let's get the official
word if we can!Copy !req
302. I remember at that TV taping,
they asked for their release,Copy !req
303. and Bill Busch said,
"Yes, you can go."Copy !req
304. Not realizing exactly
where they were going.Copy !req
305. It was a Monday night.Copy !req
306. I'm sitting in the restaurant
having dinner with my wife,Copy !req
307. and on the screens,
I could see thatCopy !req
308. Monday Night Raw was on.Copy !req
309. And I see Eddie, Dean, and
Chris, and Perry Saturn,Copy !req
310. and I thought, wow,
WCW have hit rock bottom.Copy !req
311. If those guys are jumping
ship, it's inevitable.Copy !req
312. And,
I said to my wife,Copy !req
313. "Knowing Turner
the way I do,Copy !req
314. how much do you want to bet
they're gonna call me andCopy !req
315. ask me to come back?"Copy !req
316. I cannot believe it!Copy !req
317. 15 days after Chris Benoit
wins the WCWCopy !req
318. World Heavyweight title,
he appears onCopy !req
319. Monday Night Raw in
the front row withCopy !req
320. the heart of the
WCW mid card-Copy !req
321. Eddie Guerrero,
Dean Malenko,Copy !req
322. and Perry Saturn.Copy !req
323. Keep in mind that those
defections had beenCopy !req
324. happening the other way
for the longest time.Copy !req
325. Well, now the
opposite is happening,Copy !req
326. but it's especially damaging
to WCW becauseCopy !req
327. these are characters,
and these are wrestlers,Copy !req
328. who have their best
years ahead of them.Copy !req
329. It was a big deal.Copy !req
330. When those four guys
walked out- Ooh.Copy !req
331. The silent hush heard
around the world.Copy !req
332. on top!Copy !req
333. You knew that was big.Copy !req
334. You knew that
was a big move.Copy !req
335. I think the office was like,
"Fuck those guys," you know,Copy !req
336. "we don't need 'em."
And I was like, bro,Copy !req
337. if they would've let
Eddie, and Benoit,Copy !req
338. and all these people...Copy !req
339. do programs as
the guys on top...Copy !req
340. we might still be in business.Copy !req
341. The ratings plummeted
after I left.Copy !req
342. Sullivan's in charge...Copy !req
343. Boom. We hit rock
bottom again.Copy !req
344. All the decisions
went through me,Copy !req
345. and I think somebody
suggested bringing Eric back.Copy !req
346. Since my relationship
with Eric was always good,Copy !req
347. and we had a successful
formula that was workingCopy !req
348. when we were working
together on it.Copy !req
349. So, I think the idea
of bringing Eric back,Copy !req
350. being involved as either a
consultant or whateverCopy !req
351. he was, seemed like a
good idea at the time.Copy !req
352. So, I went back to Brad, said,
"Okay, here's the deal.Copy !req
353. Write me a new contract.Copy !req
354. I don't want to be
an employee,Copy !req
355. because you guys are crazier
now than you wereCopy !req
356. when I left. I'll, you know,
report to you, nobody else."Copy !req
357. That was my deal and,
and they took it.Copy !req
358. And, Brad said,
"Do you think-Copy !req
359. Would you mind,
before we make a decision,Copy !req
360. meet with Vince Russo
and decide if you thinkCopy !req
361. you can work with him."Copy !req
362. I never thought
it would work.Copy !req
363. But, Brad Siegel
said to me-Copy !req
364. "I want you to work
with Eric Bischoff."Copy !req
365. Brad Siegel never
said to me at any time,Copy !req
366. "Eric is your boss.
Eric is in charge of you.Copy !req
367. Eric has the final say,"
so I don't know whatCopy !req
368. he had to say to get Eric
aboard. I have no idea.Copy !req
369. My job was to
oversee Vince.Copy !req
370. That's what I was hired
to do by Brad Siegel.Copy !req
371. My job definition was
overseeing Vince RussoCopy !req
372. and the creative process.Copy !req
373. You know, my memories of
exactly what happenedCopy !req
374. are really sketchy.Copy !req
375. But if Eric came back,
I had to approve it.Copy !req
376. Look, I have a pretty
strong opinionCopy !req
377. about Vince,
professionally.Copy !req
378. But as a person,
he's a charming guy.Copy !req
379. And, I thought,
I can make this work.Copy !req
380. What? No way!Copy !req
381. Vince Russo and ICopy !req
382. have more in common
than anybody knows.Copy !req
383. When I got back to WCW,Copy !req
384. in many respects,
it was worse.Copy !req
385. The stuff! Two points!Copy !req
386. I'm gonna show you
just like a couple of clips.Copy !req
387. You're gonna be watching it,
and then just anyCopy !req
388. commentary, reactions,
memories, stories.Copy !req
389. Anything that
comes to mind.Copy !req
390. What was your
thoughts on this?Copy !req
391. But Kevin, I've gotta
ask you a question.Copy !req
392. How many brain cellsCopy !req
393. have you burnt over
the years, Kevin?Copy !req
394. I remember they were trying
to drop that blood on me.Copy !req
395. They missed like 19 times.Copy !req
396. Now what?Copy !req
397. You know what?
Take that clip...Copy !req
398. and show itCopy !req
399. after the finger poke
of doom,Copy !req
400. and then you tell me
what killed WCW.Copy !req
401. Look at my face.Copy !req
402. Like, ah, you gotta
be kidding me.Copy !req
403. The New Blood strikes again!Copy !req
404. The New Blood's symbol!Copy !req
405. And Nash is walking slowly,Copy !req
406. drenched in the red.Copy !req
407. Kevin Nash in pursuit!Copy !req
408. This was a
monthly... doing,Copy !req
409. that they did something.Copy !req
410. Russo running out
of the building!Copy !req
411. The company was in worse
shape than it was when I left.Copy !req
412. They are getting
to their limousine.Copy !req
413. There was no hope.Copy !req
414. Get that damn
camera out of here.Copy !req
415. The only way I knew
how to turn that aroundCopy !req
416. was to kind of force a
creative reset,Copy !req
417. and that reset involved...Copy !req
418. the Millionaire's Club,
which was theCopy !req
419. established
top-level talent...Copy !req
420. versus the young,
up-and-coming,Copy !req
421. the young guns.Copy !req
422. It's kind of a classic story.Copy !req
423. The Millionaire's Club fighting
for their very careers!Copy !req
424. Bro,
that was inspired byCopy !req
425. what has been going on in
wrestling from day one.Copy !req
426. From day one, that's the
wrestling business.Copy !req
427. And I'm, I'm a firm believer
that if you're gonna createCopy !req
428. a story, try to create one
that's based onCopy !req
429. some sense of reality.Copy !req
430. The Millionaire's Club
at WCW were the top guysCopy !req
431. that were making
all the money.Copy !req
432. Okay, the- you know,
the Hogans, the Savages,Copy !req
433. the Flairs, the Lugers,
you know,Copy !req
434. Sting fell in that category.Copy !req
435. The, the New Blood
were the hungry,Copy !req
436. younger guys that were making
a fraction of their salaryCopy !req
437. because they were
being held down byCopy !req
438. the Millionaire's Club.Copy !req
439. So now they were gonna
have their day in court.Copy !req
440. Hey! Terry
"The Bollster" Hogan!Copy !req
441. Maybe!Copy !req
442. Maybe you haven't paid
attention around here!Copy !req
443. A lot of tension at
that time because,Copy !req
444. you know, the changing
of the guard,Copy !req
445. that stuff was real too,
you know.Copy !req
446. The stuff with Hogan and
the, the older guys.Copy !req
447. You know, those guys didn't
want to give up their spots.Copy !req
448. You're like,
"We're making money"?Copy !req
449. Yeah, cause we earned
our spot, you know,Copy !req
450. and bottom line is now
we're finally making money.Copy !req
451. When Hogan said,
you know, he's getting older,Copy !req
452. but, "Everybody in that damn
locker room'sCopy !req
453. getting older too."
You know.Copy !req
454. Well, yeah, Hulk Hogan's
getting older,Copy !req
455. and so is every other damn
wrestler in the back too.Copy !req
456. Day by day.Copy !req
457. That was a real statement.
That's someone who's-Copy !req
458. who doesn't want to
let it go, man.Copy !req
459. Kevin!Copy !req
460. I get it, I understand it,
but for me...Copy !req
461. you know, nah,
I always, ah,Copy !req
462. went as far as
my talent could take me,Copy !req
463. not my politics.Copy !req
464. I knew there were
gonna be politics,Copy !req
465. I just never thought
there were gonna beCopy !req
466. politics to this extent.Copy !req
467. Bro, even with all
these things,Copy !req
468. yes, I am gonna go
into this to win.Copy !req
469. I'm not gonna
go to work andCopy !req
470. go through the motions,
and just waste my time.Copy !req
471. I literally am still
going to doCopy !req
472. every single thing I
possibly can doCopy !req
473. to bring those
ratings back up.Copy !req
474. "Ready To Rumble" was a
major motion pictureCopy !req
475. that they were gonna do.Copy !req
476. David Arquette
was gonna be the star,Copy !req
477. and there were gonna be
multiple WCW wrestlers in it.Copy !req
478. I like wrestling.Copy !req
479. Are you gonna
be a wrestler?Copy !req
480. You caught trouble
wrestling your weeweeCopy !req
481. out of your trousers
to take a leak.Copy !req
482. It's not that
I have trouble.Copy !req
483. I never really had an
interest in becoming aCopy !req
484. professional wrestler,
except for the fact thatCopy !req
485. when I was a kid and I'd
look up at 'em, and, and...Copy !req
486. I'd be like, "Ah, it would be
so great to be the champion,"Copy !req
487. you know,
and just, ah-Copy !req
488. But I never really
thought ofCopy !req
489. myself as a wrestler.Copy !req
490. - The steel cage.
- Steel cage! Done!Copy !req
491. But, part of the story line
in "Ready To Rumble" is thatCopy !req
492. my character, Gordie, becomes
a wrestler at the end of it.Copy !req
493. And I think that was part of
the germ of the idea inCopy !req
494. bringing me into WCW so
that we could sort ofCopy !req
495. have fun with
those worlds.Copy !req
496. So, we have our
production meeting,Copy !req
497. and the match is,
um...Copy !req
498. Jeff Jarrett,
Eric Bischoff,Copy !req
499. against DDP and
David Arquette.Copy !req
500. We have a regular
production meeting.Copy !req
501. Boom, boom, boom,
boom, boom.Copy !req
502. Everybody leaves.
I'm literally there by myself,Copy !req
503. and Tony Schiavone
comes over. And Tony says,Copy !req
504. "Vince, do you mind if
I pitch you something?"Copy !req
505. I said, "Tony, absolutely."
And I got the,Copy !req
506. "What if...Copy !req
507. David Arquette wins that
match and becomesCopy !req
508. WCW Heavyweight
Champion?"Copy !req
509. I call everybody back in.Copy !req
510. "Guys, Tony pitched me
this idea.Copy !req
511. What do you think?"Copy !req
512. Bro, 100% of the
people were for it.Copy !req
513. I don't remember how
the idea generated.Copy !req
514. We'd done other things to
help promote movies, and,Copy !req
515. and specific television
shows in the past.Copy !req
516. This was a rather elaborate
way to promote the movie.Copy !req
517. But I didn't see
the harm in it.Copy !req
518. I just laughed
out aloud and...Copy !req
519. I went, "Yeah, right,
so what are we doing?"Copy !req
520. And Eric goes,
"That's what we're doing."Copy !req
521. I go, "No, we're not."Copy !req
522. He goes, "Yes, we are."
I go, "Bro, come on.Copy !req
523. Stop fucking with me.
We're not gonna do that."Copy !req
524. I go,
"That's not a good idea."Copy !req
525. It was like,
"That's a terrible idea.Copy !req
526. You can't do that."Copy !req
527. Speared by Arquette!Copy !req
528. Oh, Jarrett's got the belt!Copy !req
529. Arquette-
1, 2, 3!Copy !req
530. What?Copy !req
531. What, what did-
What's going on here?Copy !req
532. David Arquette won
the world title!Copy !req
533. Got this huge,
like, reactionCopy !req
534. when they made me
the champion.Copy !req
535. You know, people throwing
something, spitting on you,Copy !req
536. and calling you the worst
things in the world, but...Copy !req
537. It really hit me whenCopy !req
538. I was in the
locker room and,Copy !req
539. Booker T was there, and
he was getting ready.Copy !req
540. He goes,
"Booker, man,Copy !req
541. this is so great, man.
I'm the world champion!Copy !req
542. I'm the world champion!"
You know, and he goes...Copy !req
543. "How many times have you
been champ, Booker?"Copy !req
544. He's like...Copy !req
545. "I never won it,"
you know.Copy !req
546. And then he goes...Copy !req
547. He, his, his mood
totally changed.Copy !req
548. And then I was like,
"Oof, whoa, okay,"Copy !req
549. that like,
that hit me, so...Copy !req
550. It was hard to
see that, you know,Copy !req
551. you do have these guys whoCopy !req
552. pretty much have given their
lives for this sport,Copy !req
553. and then you have a
Hollywood actor,Copy !req
554. even though it's
David Arquette whoCopy !req
555. we know and love,
come in and win that title.Copy !req
556. Yeah, that, that,
that's a hard thing.Copy !req
557. I would say it was just
another nail in the coffin ofCopy !req
558. a company that was rapidly
dying at that time.Copy !req
559. I thought it was a
bad idea putting theCopy !req
560. World Heavyweight
ChampionshipCopy !req
561. on David Arquette.Copy !req
562. I mean, movie star or not,
it's just not a good play.Copy !req
563. And when you do something
like this, you go,Copy !req
564. "Okay, where do
we go from here?"Copy !req
565. Well, people were pissed that
this actor that had neverCopy !req
566. paid his dues-
cause that's a big thing,Copy !req
567. paying your dues, right?-
was a world champion.Copy !req
568. And Vince's rebuttal
to that was,Copy !req
569. "It got eyes on
the product."Copy !req
570. I don't know how well it did
in the ratings, but, I go,Copy !req
571. "Yeah, but it got people
talking for the wrong reasons."Copy !req
572. I don't think that
was a good idea.Copy !req
573. Bro, I'll never forget,
the next morning after that,Copy !req
574. I get up, I go downstairs
to the front desk.Copy !req
575. What's on the front cover
of the USA Today?Copy !req
576. That would have
never, ever happenedCopy !req
577. in a million years.Copy !req
578. And at that time,
that's what we are after.Copy !req
579. And again, bro,
I'm going to say it,Copy !req
580. I write a television show.Copy !req
581. If you think about the
importance of the world titleCopy !req
582. in wrestling, yes,
it's predetermined,Copy !req
583. but it does carry with it
a huge amount of value,Copy !req
584. and I think fans perceived
this as another attempt toCopy !req
585. get the interest back in
one day rather thanCopy !req
586. building for the future.Copy !req
587. The wrestling audience
didn't appreciate it.Copy !req
588. In the eyes of, you know,
the hardcore wrestling fan.Copy !req
589. And I'm not
dismissing them,Copy !req
590. and I don't mean
it derisively.Copy !req
591. But, the really passionate
wrestling fan felt thatCopy !req
592. it really made a
mockery of the title,Copy !req
593. to use that title
in that way.Copy !req
594. I didn't feel that way
in that moment.Copy !req
595. I was looking at the
bigger opportunity,Copy !req
596. and felt like we could
sustain a couple weeksCopy !req
597. of bad press.Copy !req
598. I think Eric put himself
in a position to where...Copy !req
599. he stopped calling the shots,
and just started beingCopy !req
600. a part of the shots that
were being called.Copy !req
601. And I think that was,
perhaps, the biggest problem.Copy !req
602. It is what it is.Copy !req
603. I didn't stop it,
let's put it that way.Copy !req
604. I supported it.Copy !req
605. And I participated,
for God's sake.Copy !req
606. The World
Heavyweight Champion!Copy !req
607. I would do the same
thing today, bro.Copy !req
608. Without blinking an eye,Copy !req
609. I would do the same
exact thing today.Copy !req
610. Quite frankly,
I could care less.Copy !req
611. Arquette goes out
there the next day!Copy !req
612. He doesn't want
the championship!Copy !req
613. What? Whoa! Bro!Copy !req
614. I, I, you know-Copy !req
615. we followed that up
in the story line.Copy !req
616. What did he have it, bro,
for like a week?Copy !req
617. Hey, I think I
killed out there.Copy !req
618. Listen, Page, this has
all been a big fluke,Copy !req
619. it's been a whole lot of
fun, but I don't deserveCopy !req
620. to be the World
Heavyweight Champion.Copy !req
621. And he went out on,
you know, the next day,Copy !req
622. and he goes, "Man,
I shouldn't have the title.Copy !req
623. People like Booker T
should have the title."Copy !req
624. Tonight, I'm gonna
relinquish the belt,Copy !req
625. and give up the title.
I don't deserve it.Copy !req
626. How about that?Copy !req
627. - These guys deserve it.Copy !req
628. Maybe Booker T
deserves it,Copy !req
629. but I don't deserve it.Copy !req
630. You know, I was like,
"Wow!" You know?Copy !req
631. So, he might have been
my biggest cheerleader,Copy !req
632. you know, he might have been
the spark that lit the flame.Copy !req
633. I started at the
bottom of that company,Copy !req
634. and I had seen these
guys on television,Copy !req
635. and now I'm in the same
locker room with them,Copy !req
636. and competing with them
at the highest level.Copy !req
637. I was doing something that
I had never imaginedCopy !req
638. or dreamt of doing in
a million years.Copy !req
639. Now the axe kick!Copy !req
640. I knew Book was
gonna be a big star.Copy !req
641. When he was putting on
grease paint one timeCopy !req
642. when he was doing
G. I. Bro.Copy !req
643. He said, "I'm here, and I'm
gonna keep doing whatCopy !req
644. I'm doing, and eventually
I'm gonna get there."Copy !req
645. And I'm like, "You know
what, bro, you're right,Copy !req
646. you are." I said, "You got
the best attitude ever."Copy !req
647. Thinking about winning the
world title for meCopy !req
648. in this company,
is something thatCopy !req
649. I never really
thought about.Copy !req
650. When I first came in
this company, it was,Copy !req
651. you know,
it was a clique.Copy !req
652. It was a good old boys
clique, you know,Copy !req
653. and if you wasn't in
the good old boy clique,Copy !req
654. you only went to a
certain level, you know.Copy !req
655. 'Cause I was Black,
to be honest.Copy !req
656. I knew how good I was.Copy !req
657. There wasn't a
doubt in my mind.Copy !req
658. But you still wonder if the
company would beCopy !req
659. willing to accept
a Black champion.Copy !req
660. He was beloved,
everybody loved him.Copy !req
661. He was so easy
to work with.Copy !req
662. He paid his dues.Copy !req
663. Booker, like, had completely
thrown in the towel ofCopy !req
664. ever thinking he was going
to be a championCopy !req
665. because he knew the
political game!Copy !req
666. Everybody's fighting
for the same spot!Copy !req
667. And especially, bro,
when you're on top,Copy !req
668. you got everybody
gunning for you.Copy !req
669. So, when Hulk
was on top, yes,Copy !req
670. did he do everything
he possibly couldCopy !req
671. to secure that spot?Copy !req
672. Bro, 1000%.Copy !req
673. Halloween Havoc '99
I think wasCopy !req
674. the last time
Hogan appeared.Copy !req
675. Of course, I was sent
home in September of '99.Copy !req
676. Hogan stuck around
because he wasCopy !req
677. obligated
and advertised.Copy !req
678. But,
without me there,Copy !req
679. Hogan really wasn't
too interested inCopy !req
680. working in any way,
shape, or form with Russo.Copy !req
681. So, when I came back
to work with Russo,Copy !req
682. that certainly made it
a lot easier.Copy !req
683. Eric is now treating meCopy !req
684. as I'm below him.Copy !req
685. And I, I had
had enough.Copy !req
686. So, I called Brad Siegel.Copy !req
687. And I said,Copy !req
688. "Brad, if you want to
make Eric head of creative,Copy !req
689. freaking make him
head of creative!"Copy !req
690. And bro, Brad Siegel said,
"No, no, no, no, no, no, noCopy !req
691. Vince! I want YOU to
write creative."Copy !req
692. Bro, two days later was
Bash At The Beach.Copy !req
693. Bash At The Beach 2000 was
really the culmination pointCopy !req
694. of the tension between Russo
and what he wanted to do,Copy !req
695. me and what I was willing
to do in the role I was in,Copy !req
696. and what Hogan was
willing to do...Copy !req
697. given that he had
creative control.Copy !req
698. I will say this up front,
without a shadow of a doubt,Copy !req
699. if there was no
Eric Bischoff,Copy !req
700. I would have had a great
relationship with Hulk Hogan.Copy !req
701. And, I don't think
there everCopy !req
702. would have
been an issue.Copy !req
703. Hulk and I have a good idea
of what we wanted to doCopy !req
704. with his participation.Copy !req
705. He and I are on
the same page,Copy !req
706. and Hulk Hogan has
creative control,Copy !req
707. so that's pretty much
the end of any disputeCopy !req
708. or conversation, right.Copy !req
709. But at the same time,
Vince Russo hadCopy !req
710. his ideas of what
he wanted to do.Copy !req
711. And what he was able
to do wasCopy !req
712. take the original
idea of Hulk and I's,Copy !req
713. which was create some
kind of scenarioCopy !req
714. where Hulk gets so
frustrated, or disgusted,Copy !req
715. or pissed off, he grabs the
belt and walks out ofCopy !req
716. the building, presumably
never to be seen again.Copy !req
717. That was the plan.Copy !req
718. I'm saying to myself,
bro, no.Copy !req
719. You're not walking out
of here with the belt.Copy !req
720. - Now what?
- I don't know, it's...Copy !req
721. Who's laying down
on this one?Copy !req
722. But what Vince Russo did was
jump in the middle part ofCopy !req
723. our plan, and decided that
once Eric and HulkCopy !req
724. left the building-
which we did,Copy !req
725. according to script,
OUR script-Copy !req
726. Vince Russo jumped into
the ring, live,Copy !req
727. and went into business
for himself andCopy !req
728. implemented
his own idea.Copy !req
729. Hey, let me tell ya who
doesn't give a shitCopy !req
730. about this company!Copy !req
731. That God damn politician,
Hulk Hogan!Copy !req
732. I remember looking around,Copy !req
733. talking to some of the
other Nitro Girls, like...Copy !req
734. "Is, is this what's supposed
to be happening?"Copy !req
735. Like, what's going-
is this written?Copy !req
736. What is going on?Copy !req
737. Hulk Hogan tonight
wants to playCopy !req
738. his creative control card.Copy !req
739. Holy shit.Copy !req
740. This, this is...Copy !req
741. he's shooting, you know,
he's talking for real.Copy !req
742. This is not a work.Copy !req
743. But one thing I do
want to point out.Copy !req
744. As much as this was a work,
and everybody was,Copy !req
745. you know, in on it,
when I talk about reality,Copy !req
746. I really am
this pissed off.Copy !req
747. Hogan got his belt,
and he went the hell home,Copy !req
748. and I promise
everybody or elseCopy !req
749. I'll go in the
God damn grave,Copy !req
750. you will never see
that piece of shit again.Copy !req
751. I didn't know that
was coming, and...Copy !req
752. that promo to me felt as
real as it possibly can be,Copy !req
753. as far as two people havingCopy !req
754. a venomous animosity
towards each other.Copy !req
755. The point of this promo
was not to run Hogan down.Copy !req
756. The point of it was...Copy !req
757. we need Booker
to win the belt,Copy !req
758. and I need to make sense ofCopy !req
759. why this match is happening.Copy !req
760. For the WCW title,
two deserving guys-Copy !req
761. Jarrett! And Booker!Copy !req
762. Will compete for the WCW,Copy !req
763. and they'll tear this
God damn house down!Copy !req
764. I found out about 10 minutes
before I had to wrestle.Copy !req
765. This all came as
a surprise to me.Copy !req
766. I really don't know
what's going on.Copy !req
767. Vince made the decision.Copy !req
768. Cut that promo before
I had to go out.Copy !req
769. Man, I had so
much energy.Copy !req
770. Opportunity has knocked,
and I will be damnedCopy !req
771. if I don't
answer that door.Copy !req
772. I am gonna do what I have
to do tonight to takeCopy !req
773. that gold home, take it
around my waist,Copy !req
774. and taking it to the
next millennium.Copy !req
775. Now can you
dig that shit?Copy !req
776. I can.
Tony, back to you.Copy !req
777. I was ready to become
the world champ.Copy !req
778. I remember, before the bell
rang I jumped up so high,Copy !req
779. you know, and, you know,
just because I was like,Copy !req
780. "Let's get this done,"
you know.Copy !req
781. 2! 3!Copy !req
782. Booker T's the champ!Copy !req
783. It took somebody
like Vince Russo,Copy !req
784. somebody that was outside
the box that pushed themCopy !req
785. to make a decision,
and then, you know,Copy !req
786. check their conscience
for a second.Copy !req
787. I came back for
the Booker Ts!Copy !req
788. I was totally out of
the loop, as far as...Copy !req
789. what was going on with...Copy !req
790. Vince Russo andCopy !req
791. Hulk Hogan and
Eric Bischoff.Copy !req
792. Bro, the next day
on the internet,Copy !req
793. everybody bought this-
hook, line, and sinker.Copy !req
794. And bro, what you got over
and over and over again was,Copy !req
795. "Finally! Somebody put
Hulk Hogan in his place!"Copy !req
796. Hulk is at home,
and he's reading this,Copy !req
797. and he's seething, and his
ego is kicking in becauseCopy !req
798. now it looks like this
jackass, Vince Russo,Copy !req
799. got one over
on Hulk Hogan.Copy !req
800. That's why this company's
in the damn shapeCopy !req
801. it's in because of
bullshit like this.Copy !req
802. My phone's just
nonstop vibrating.Copy !req
803. Hulk's phone's
blowing up.Copy !req
804. And now we're starting to
hear bits and piecesCopy !req
805. from different people
about what Russo did.Copy !req
806. And we're looking at
each other like this can't,Copy !req
807. this can't
possibly be true.Copy !req
808. Hulk Hogan, who is
contractually entitled toCopy !req
809. have final say
over creative...Copy !req
810. and yet, he throws all of that
out the window andCopy !req
811. goes into business
for himself?Copy !req
812. Tears the script up,
and says,Copy !req
813. "No, I'm gonna do it
my way instead"?Copy !req
814. We couldn't believe
that that happened.Copy !req
815. As far as Hulk was
concerned, he's done.Copy !req
816. There's going
to be a lawsuit.Copy !req
817. As far as I'm concerned,
I'm done.Copy !req
818. Regardless of who did
what and who says what,Copy !req
819. let's just look at it from
the most important personCopy !req
820. in the equation, which is
the people paying money toCopy !req
821. come and see the shows,
buying the Pay Per View,Copy !req
822. showing up to
the live events.Copy !req
823. Why would I buy into the idea
that the next Pay Per ViewCopy !req
824. is gonna be the
biggest event ever,Copy !req
825. or the next match is
gonna be unbelievableCopy !req
826. when it seems like every
time they hype something upCopy !req
827. some nonsense
like this happens?Copy !req
828. Ultimately, I think what
this represented was theCopy !req
829. blowing up of this new
creative team thatCopy !req
830. many had predicted
was inevitable.Copy !req
831. And unfortunately,
it played out,Copy !req
832. not behind the scenes,Copy !req
833. but in front of
everyone to see.Copy !req
834. You could talk about
angles and storylines,Copy !req
835. and this and that-
the fact that I wasCopy !req
836. in a position to be able
to do the right thing-Copy !req
837. Booker T becoming
the champion andCopy !req
838. a man finally getting
what he deserved andCopy !req
839. getting through all that
red tape and all the BSCopy !req
840. was far and away my
greatest moment.Copy !req
841. Russo's stunt made it
impossible for me to,Copy !req
842. A, trust Vince Russo.Copy !req
843. Or really the judgement
of anybody else,Copy !req
844. including Brad Siegel.
Brad had a choice.Copy !req
845. He could have
sent Russo homeCopy !req
846. following
Bash At The Beach.Copy !req
847. But he didn't.Copy !req
848. Eric and Hogan
were partners inCopy !req
849. what they wanted
to do at WCW.Copy !req
850. And, I was trying to do
whatever I can doCopy !req
851. to get it back on track.Copy !req
852. I came back to the guys
behind that curtainCopy !req
853. that give a shit about
this company!Copy !req
854. Post Bash At The Beach,Copy !req
855. now we have another
creative shake-up.Copy !req
856. Eric goes home,Copy !req
857. Hulk is never to be seen
on WCW TV again.Copy !req
858. And for the next 3 months
we have Vince Russo andCopy !req
859. a booking committee mapping
out WCW's story lines.Copy !req
860. So much had happened,Copy !req
861. there had been so many
attempted restarts and rebootsCopy !req
862. and changes of direction
that the entire promotionCopy !req
863. was sort of in a
state of shell shock.Copy !req
864. Once the bleeding started,
it was a consistentCopy !req
865. deterioration of
WCW's business.Copy !req
866. Everything was
very spontaneous,Copy !req
867. "What gets me excited now?"Copy !req
868. Learn the meaning of the
world discipline, ladies?Copy !req
869. He was doing a
lot of segmentsCopy !req
870. with himself involved.Copy !req
871. Well, he was brought
in to be a writer.Copy !req
872. And then, he'd write
himself into the show.Copy !req
873. And, write himself
as one of theCopy !req
874. main characters
in the show.Copy !req
875. This is my show!Copy !req
876. This is my house!Copy !req
877. And these are my people!Copy !req
878. I'm just going to be 1000%Copy !req
879. completely honest with you.Copy !req
880. As far as an
on-air character,Copy !req
881. I felt that I was better than
80% of that roster.Copy !req
882. They put so much
pressure on me, bro,Copy !req
883. that I made the mistake
of saying, "You know what?Copy !req
884. F' it.
If you want ratings,Copy !req
885. I will go out there and
get ratings myself."Copy !req
886. I almost get killed, bro.Copy !req
887. I almost got killed.Copy !req
888. Oh! Whoa!Copy !req
889. What I'm looking for
tonight is ratings!Copy !req
890. Big ratings!Copy !req
891. And we're gonna deliver,
you son of a bitch!Copy !req
892. Like, to this day, people
think that's who I am.Copy !req
893. That's why so many
people dislike me,Copy !req
894. hate me who don't
know me becauseCopy !req
895. they think I'm my character.Copy !req
896. Knock it off,
know your place.Copy !req
897. He put the belt on himself.Copy !req
898. He became
champion somehow,Copy !req
899. which I just thought was
kind of self-serving.Copy !req
900. I can't even imagine,
you know,Copy !req
901. what brought that on except
for childhood dream...Copy !req
902. that every one of us
have had.Copy !req
903. So, I get
Vince doing it.Copy !req
904. I don't think it
was a good idea.Copy !req
905. But, I get it, and he had
a lot of heat,Copy !req
906. you know, internal
and external.Copy !req
907. Bro, listen, I never
thought I was a wrestler.Copy !req
908. Again, this is a
television show.Copy !req
909. All I'm trying to do isCopy !req
910. entertain an audience.Copy !req
911. Bro, I should have never
gotten in the ring.Copy !req
912. I was really concerned
about my health.Copy !req
913. They were hurting me
on purpose.Copy !req
914. First of all, with Goldberg,
he's supposed to spear meCopy !req
915. into the entranceway.Copy !req
916. "Bro, I got a concussion.Copy !req
917. Like, just please work me
to the entranceway."Copy !req
918. What does he do, bro?Copy !req
919. He spears me right
into the iron rail.Copy !req
920. Whoa!Copy !req
921. Come on, come on, man,
like no question about it.Copy !req
922. If I wanted to
intentionally hurt himCopy !req
923. he'd be underground
right now.Copy !req
924. And anyone who
doesn't believe thatCopy !req
925. doesn't know
anything about me.Copy !req
926. I think so, without a doubt.
Without a doubt.Copy !req
927. And that was it,
that, that spear,Copy !req
928. that was the one that
put me away, that was it.Copy !req
929. Why am I putting my health
on the line when, obviously,Copy !req
930. nobody gives a crap about
this company anymore?Copy !req
931. Russo! I'm here!Copy !req
932. And I'm waiting, Vince.Copy !req
933. So, the last show that
Vince Russo is creditedCopy !req
934. to have written is the
October 2nd, 2000,Copy !req
935. edition of Monday Nitro.Copy !req
936. He gives an interview
the next day on WCW Live,Copy !req
937. lamenting everything that
was going on in the company,Copy !req
938. and then he's gone from the
picture after that point.Copy !req
939. This is Russo
in 2000, baby.Copy !req
940. Hulk Hogan...Copy !req
941. I don't give a damn.Copy !req
942. You think I care
about Eric Bischoff?Copy !req
943. I could give a damn.Copy !req
944. Ratings 2.7, 1.7, 0.7.Copy !req
945. I don't care.Copy !req
946. Vince Russo losing
his job next week,Copy !req
947. I don't give a damn.Copy !req
948. When I see this, and I
see that guy there,Copy !req
949. it really reminds me of how
much I hate the business.Copy !req
950. I mean, I'm gonna
be honest with you.Copy !req
951. I mean, there's a lot of
people thatCopy !req
952. don't like me saying that.Copy !req
953. That's the fact
of the matter.Copy !req
954. It really brings me back
to the, the damage,Copy !req
955. emotionally, that this
business did to me.Copy !req
956. That's ab-
absolute truth.Copy !req
957. God honest truth.Copy !req
958. And then, those same
politics exist today.Copy !req
959. What is the
fate of WCW?Copy !req
960. We're talking about a
company that, at its peak,Copy !req
961. was generating in the
neighborhood of $200 millionCopy !req
962. a year, and a huge
part of pop culture.Copy !req
963. It's a hit every
Monday every night.Copy !req
964. But it wasn't anymore.Copy !req
965. It was so bad!Copy !req
966. The bickering,
the in-fighting.Copy !req
967. We're Time-Warner.Copy !req
968. Is it that important to own
a wrestling companyCopy !req
969. that's losing money,
bleeding massively?Copy !req
970. I'll sit and watch the
fucking thing sinkCopy !req
971. from my fucking house.Copy !req
972. It didn't feel like
a family anymore.Copy !req
973. You had to look
out for yourself.Copy !req
974. What's gonna happen here?
Are they gonna stick with this?Copy !req
975. Are they not gonna
stick with it?Copy !req
976. I said, "Brad, why don't
you let me exploreCopy !req
977. selling WCW while it still
has some value?"Copy !req
978. Going out!Copy !req
979. We thought we were coming
to work like a regular day.Copy !req
980. Do you know anything?Copy !req
981. And no one knew
until that night.Copy !req
982. Because the fate of WCWCopy !req
983. is in my hands.Copy !req