[VIDEO] Bret Hart Discusses Problems With the Current WWE Product
Posted by Jeremy Thomas on 12.15.2011
See what he had to say...
- Bret Hart recently spoke with Vezzy Parmesan of the Hot 106 "Rise and Grind Morning Show" in Providence, Rhode Island about the current WWE product and what he thinks the problem is. Check out the highlights and then the full video below it:
On the current talent roster: "I think the wrestlers that out there today are excellent. Some are as good as they've every been. I don't have any issues with the wrestlers of today. But, I will say that they all look cookie-cutter and look the same. I really wish they would just get a King Kong Bundy here and there to change it up."
On where the problem lies: "I think the problem isn't the wrestlers, it's the office. It's the directors of the wrestlers. They're not doing a good enough job - I don't think they understand the talent they have. Sometimes I can pull my hair out watching the TV going, 'Geez, they have so much great talent, but the shows are the same every week. I'm so sick of all the characters they got.'"
On WWE not being proactive: "Some of them (wrestlers) are great, but the wrestling industry, which is basically WWE, is waiting for the next guy to pull the sword out of the stone...They're waiting for the next big Superstar. I don't know who he is, but he's out there. He might be some guy at a wrestling school right now hoping he's going to make it. Somebody's got to come along. Somebody always does. It could be another five years. Wrestling needs a new star; somebody with a new gimmick."
Posted By: Todd Gack (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 07:04 PM
Excellent production quality.
Posted By: Jordan (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 07:12 PM
The problem is that WWE has been riding the coattails of famous movies for years, with the backlog of awesome villains from movies.
Rock N Wrestling was based on Mr. T, Rocky, and Cindi Lauper and Wrestlemania I.
Then it sort of just rode Hulkamania for a decade.
Then the attitude era came along after Alternative Music came to prominence, and was stolen from ECW by the WWF.
WCW had the New World Order idea.
The cultural trends as of late have left creative with a 'take-no risk' mentality, just like Hollywood putting out dull sequel after sequel.
Bunny-54@hotmail.com me if you want a response!
Posted By: Pop Culture Blues for WWE (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 07:20 PM
Everything he said was basically spot on.
The talent is there, its just not being utilized properly.
Posted By: Guest#0202 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 07:25 PM
Bret is spot on, hit the nail right on the head. WWE needs a new big star to come along, Cena isn't that guy.
Posted By: Chase (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 07:32 PM
i really hope that Vince sees this interview
Posted By: Jay Maleezy (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 07:34 PM
They would just job the new guy out to HHH and Cena until nobody cared about them anyway.
Punk was your next star. If it was the Attitude era he would have run roughshod over the roster. If HHH and Cena were half the talent UT is, they'd have volunteered to job clean to Punk every week like UT and Hart did for Austin.
Posted By: Guest#3989 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 07:47 PM
"...somebody with a new gimmick."
Hey, how about the 2nd best there is, the 2nd best there was and the 2nd best there ever will be? That could be as over as the "New" Blackjacks!
Posted By: Guest#7731 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 08:00 PM
Somebody should warn Bret about how big these WWE marks are. They hate seeing anyone say anything bad about their company, but they're quick to take shots at these other companies.
I guarantee there are some comments talking bad about Bret because of what he said in this video
Posted By: Guest#0018 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 08:01 PM
I think he's right about today's product, but aren't there fat guys like Mark Henry? Isn't CM Punk kind of shaking things up?
Posted By: KenB3 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 08:11 PM
Bret Hart was never on the same level as Hogan, Flair, Austin or Rock. They all pulled the sword from the stone; when Bret Hart pulled, the sword wobbled a bit but it stayed in there!
Posted By: Sorry Bret (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 08:20 PM
"raw"Bret is spot on, hit the nail right on the head. WWE needs a new big star to come along, Cena isn't that guy."
Indeed. Punk is that guy. WWE just has to put him in a more prominent role with the company and ditch the kids' toy of a belt.
Posted By: Guest#9753 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 08:41 PM
Agree wholeheartedly. They have way too much talent, yet none of them are being used right. Everything's so homogenized nowadays.
Posted By: JJ (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 08:45 PM
I'm a new star; somebody with a fresh gimmick.
Posted By: CM Punk (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 08:54 PM
Damn, Bret was spot on.
Posted By: TK03000 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 09:17 PM
The problem is that WWE has been riding the coattails of famous movies for years, with the backlog of awesome villains from movies.
Rock N Wrestling was based on Mr. T, Rocky, and Cindi Lauper and Wrestlemania I.
Then it sort of just rode Hulkamania for a decade.
Then the attitude era came along after Alternative Music came to prominence, and was stolen from ECW by the WWF.
WCW had the New World Order idea.
The cultural trends as of late have left creative with a 'take-no risk' mentality, just like Hollywood putting out dull sequel after sequel.
Bunny-54@hotmail.com me if you want a response!
Posted By: Pop Culture Blues for WWE (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 07:20 PM
I think you're spot on about Mr. T, Cyndi Lauper, and Rock & Wrestling spearheading the boom of the 80's.
But you lose me when you suggest that pop culture played much of a part in the 90's boom.
In my opinion the 90's boom, was simply WWE and WCW recognizing that the fans responsible for the boom of the 80's had become teenagers and young adults and crafted the product to that demographic.
Wrestling has long taken from pop culture going back to the 50's.
Now those fans are having families of their own and WWE is right to have a product more welcoming to families.
I think all of the problems (micromanaging talent, boring and predictable creative, etc) stems from a concern for the bottom line. As a publicly traded company, WWE is beholden to shareholders and analysts. Since the family wealth is tied to share price, the McMahon's are afraid to be innovative and creative out of fear of not meeting Wall Street's projections.
That more than anything explains why they fail to make a compelling PG show, where so many others in entertainment have succeeded.
Posted By: Guest#9038 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 09:29 PM
"They would just job the new guy out to HHH and Cena until nobody cared about them anyway.
Punk was your next star. If it was the Attitude era he would have run roughshod over the roster. If HHH and Cena were half the talent UT is, they'd have volunteered to job clean to Punk every week like UT and Hart did for Austin."
A million times yes! Put this on a fucking t shirt!
Posted By: WooHoo (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 09:41 PM
Vezzy Parmesan eh? That name is pretty....(puts on sunglasses)
...
cheesy
(YEEEEEAAAHHHH....)
Posted By: Caruso (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 10:42 PM
I think it's time for Hollywood Hogan to return and save the wrestling world.
Posted By: Hollywood Fan (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 10:53 PM
Pop culture definitely played a role in the 90's. Shows like Springer, and edgier movies like Pulp Fiction had an influence on the product and the audience.
Posted By: Morris (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 10:59 PM
Why is the guy interviewing Ozzy Osbourne?
Posted By: Guest#5661 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 11:06 PM
Hart's face is looking more like Vince these days.
Posted By: guest 35353 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 11:47 PM
You've got Bret Hart speaking and there's all that background noise and talking? C'mon.
Also, Vizzy Parmesan is a much better name than most of today's wrestlers. I'm pencilling in Vizzy vs. Ziggler for the Wrestlemania 30 main event.
Posted By: Guest#0859 (Guest) on December 16, 2011 at 12:03 AM
I agree with the legend,somebody has to come along and be good on the mic,not the typical "voice" guy. Where's the monsters that sound like Jesse Ventura? Or the black athletes with swag? I'm sorry I love a fox she the baddest in the game to me, and kofi is dope but if Stevie wonder was listening he would swear they were white. Nothing wrong with that per se,but they don't stand out. Jtg comes off fake, it has to be natural like new Jack or MVP. Where are the bad asses who actually sound tough like stone cold? Clay is a great character,Mike Knox was interesting and he could sell! Samoa joe would be perfect, he has size and can go. I mean since Cena is your Hogan give him big nastys to battle kids and girls will eat it up. Then bring up t black and Ambrose to have great matches with punk and Orton. Drew needs to be pushed again as well. Bottom line Bret is right,excuse the mark in me rant yell
Posted By: box (Guest) on December 16, 2011 at 01:06 AM
The best there is, the best the was and the best there ever will be! Haters can say whatever they want, but fact is that without Bret there would be no Austin 3:16 or Attitude Era. Dude understands the business like no one else, and WWE creative should be taking notes from him.
Posted By: Migz (Guest) on December 16, 2011 at 01:23 AM
Pop culture definitely played a role in the 90's. Shows like Springer, and edgier movies like Pulp Fiction had an influence on the product and the audience.
Posted By: Morris (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 10:59 PM
Mr T and Cyndi Lauper were integral parts of WWE...I don't recall Austin teaming with Springer or Sam Jackson quoting biblical verse on Raw and managing Trish Stratus.
Wrestling has never been innovative and has always "borrowed" from pop culture. It has nothing to do with making wrestling good. Remember Jay Leno, Dennis Rodman, and Master P in WCW?
Moron...
Posted By: Guest#1916 (Guest) on December 16, 2011 at 02:38 AM
Hey brother, I'm a young guy. I could be the next guy to pull the sword out of the stone as long as my back doesn't give out.
Posted By: Hulk Hogan (Guest) on December 16, 2011 at 03:24 AM
They're waiting for the next big Superstar. I don't know who he is, but he's out there. He might be some guy at a wrestling school right now hoping he's going to make it. Somebody's got to come along. Somebody always does. It could be another five years. Wrestling needs a new star; somebody with a new gimmick."
Thank God he didn't name drop CM Punk.
Posted By: Guest#1198 (Guest) on December 16, 2011 at 07:25 AM
I think he's right about today's product, but aren't there fat guys like Mark Henry? Isn't CM Punk kind of shaking things up?
Posted By: KenB3 (Guest) on December 15, 2011 at 08:11 PM
Punk is shaking his things up your ass.
Posted By: Guest#6545 (Guest) on December 16, 2011 at 07:30 AM
I really wish they would just get a King Kong Bundy here and there to change it up."
Brodus Clay kind of looks like a heavy metal King Kong Bundy.
Posted By: Guest#4767 (Guest) on December 16, 2011 at 07:38 AM
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