JBL Argued With VInce McMahon Over Character
Posted by Joseph Lee on 02.10.2012
They had some disagreements...
JBL had an interview with the Bermuda Sun in which he discussed his wrestling career.
There's an item within about JBL disagreeing with Vince McMahon about the inspiration for his "JBL" character.
He said: "Vince McMahon will deny this because he didn't see any parallel with the J.R. Ewing character (from "Dallas"), but in my mind it was a J.R. Ewing character. It was my idea."
He said Vince wanted him to remain a baby face, but "a confluence of factors happened. Big Show got hurt, The Undertaker got hurt and Brock Lesnar left the company and they needed a guy to face Eddie Guerrero. Vince asked me if I wanted to do the JBL character and I said, 'I'd love to and said let's give it a whirl.'"
Fair play to JBL. After a career as a mid carder, he really pulled off the JBL character, and despite it being a down period, it did work,and he did well with it.
Glad he left when he did; it/he didnt have the legs to keep it going long term, but well done him for earning a main event spot and becoming world champ.
Posted By: UK Viewer (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 03:52 PM
He's still the worst thing that ever happened to Smackdown. I quit watching Smackdown while he was champ.
Posted By: Reeves (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 03:55 PM
and thus smackdown 2004 sucked monkey balls
Posted By: Guest#9320 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 03:59 PM
all you are complaining he sucked and smackdown sucked at that time and i agree but its gotten so much worse now with del rio i wish we still had JBL
Posted By: Guest#8191 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 04:56 PM
I thought the JBL character was a fun heel. It certainly did a lot more for Layfield than remaining the generic "good old boy" would have. If he continued playing his APA character when he rose to the main event, he probably would have been viewed as "Austin-lite."
Posted By: Michael L (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 05:03 PM
Bradshaw in the main event. Probably the worst idea since making Jericho the Undisputed champion. What a joke.
Posted By: MBD (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 05:24 PM
JBL was a breath of fresh air, he was a great cocky heel champ and had some realt good matches, especially with Guerrero.
I thought he was great.
Posted By: Az.. (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 05:51 PM
The JBL character was money. He played it perfectly. I miss JBL. I REALLY miss him as a color commentator. What I wouldn't give to have him show up and replace King. Josh Matthews/JBL as the new voices of the WWE!
Posted By: Guest#1599 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 05:57 PM
lol at the marks complaining about how JBL ruined Smackdown.
Oh things never change.
Posted By: Defective14 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 06:12 PM
Vince didn't see any parallel because he probably doesn't even know what Dallas is-remember, this is the same guy that didn't get Paul Burchill's pirate character, because he'd never heard of Pirates of The Carribean, when it was one of the hottest things out there.
Posted By: Guest#8726 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 06:14 PM
JBL is/was one of biggest dickheads in all of wrestling. Fuck him.
Posted By: Guest#8641 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 06:25 PM
Vince most likely hasn't paid attention to pop culture since "The Jackie Gleason Show" was a ratings smash, so of course he couldn't see the connection between JBL and a character from a 30-year-old TV show...
Posted By: Jay Evans (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 06:25 PM
errrr... there's a difference between a 'disagreement' and an 'argument'. this doesn't sound like it was a shouting match or anything...
Posted By: izotope (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 06:28 PM
and thus smackdown 2004 sucked monkey balls
Posted By: Guest#9320 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 03:59 PM
Like its any better today. All its good for is as a cure for insomnia. At least JBL had something called a personality. If only today's stars would watch his promos.
Posted By: Guest#5880 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 06:38 PM
JBL was gold. I loved the change, the feud with Guerrero, everything. Great character, regardess of who's idea it was.
Posted By: Chico Whoretiz (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 06:54 PM
all you are complaining he sucked and smackdown sucked at that time and i agree but its gotten so much worse now with del rio i wish we still had JBL
Posted By: Guest#8191 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 04:56 PM
jbl was a great talker. he could really rile up a crowd with his charismatic promos. but when he stepped in a ring, even you have to admit he sucked.
Posted By: Guest#0407 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 07:24 PM
All credit to JBL for standing up to Vince. Had he not been who he is, then I'm sure his ass would have been kicked out the door or even worse relegated to that strange no-mans land between Superstars and mowing Vince's garden.
Posted By: TheSpunkingTadgpiece (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 08:55 PM
JBL = Alberto Del Rio :)
Posted By: Guest#0322 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 09:04 PM
Of course JBL was inspired by something done on tv-but you have to consider how everything has been done before. Jericho makes fun of people for copying his moves and mannerisms-and yet we haven't seen him do anything since he's been back-that's what this has come down to. Wrestling is just an art that needs to be enjoyed by those that are younger and haven't seen it before. It will never be the same again for those of us who saw it before.
Posted By: Reality Check (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 09:05 PM
JBL was the last choice...THE LAST.
Posted By: Seriously? (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 09:36 PM
JBL was the anti-workrate after a couple years of workrate machines being the main event of smackdown.
JBL was a great character despite sucking really badly as a wrestler. Even with plunder he'd have a difficult time having a good match. How can you have a stinker of a match with Benoit when the only M.O. was to stiff the shit out of each other?
Posted By: Guest#3654 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 10:51 PM
Watch some JBL on YouTube. A lot of smarks stopped watching SD during this time because JBL wasn't Eddie and thus he had worse matches but good goddamn was Bradshaw awesome on the mic. Say what you will about him, motherfucker can act.
It's sad many didn't watch him because he truly is one of the greatest world champions of our time.
Posted By: JBL was really good (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 11:51 PM
Knowing what I now do regarding his off air demeanor, I'm glad he is gone. But he was quite the believeable heel back in the day
Posted By: Guest#1002 (Guest) on February 11, 2012 at 01:14 AM
In Pro Wrestling, "workrate" has NEVER MATTERED.
It never has.
It never will.
If you say otherwise, you are still the WORST kind of mark.... one who THINKS he is fucking smart.
Posted By: Guest#1427 (Guest) on February 11, 2012 at 01:32 AM
JBL was one of the best and most intense promo people. His wrestling sucked for the most part, but his finisher and talking were supreme.
Posted By: Banz (Guest) on February 11, 2012 at 02:40 AM
i loved jbl! want him back!
Posted By: wylun (Guest) on February 11, 2012 at 03:23 AM
JBL was a great character and gold on the mic. His in ring problems started when he tried to wrestle. If he'd stuck to being a brawler it would have worked better in ring.
Posted By: RockerDropper (Guest) on February 11, 2012 at 08:19 AM
JBL in the main event was a real low point in wrestling history, just like miz as champion was recently
Posted By: Guest#2209 (Guest) on February 11, 2012 at 08:20 AM
and thus smackdown 2004 sucked monkey balls
Posted By: Guest#9320 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 03:59 PM
Like its any better today. All its good for is as a cure for insomnia. At least JBL had something called a personality. If only today's stars would watch his promos.
Posted By: Guest#5880 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 06:38 PM
Couldnt agree more. I cant watch a full WWE show anymore. Ziggler is the only thing that keeps me entertained. He's on the brink of becoming the next HBK ..but anyway back to JBL. I cant help but laugh at critics of his wrestling/workrate. That doesnt matter. I disliked him being pushed to the main event but I was a younger, workrate fan at the time. Now I realize how irrelevant workrate is. The guy riled up a crowd with epic promos, had a great character, had the "Cabinet", which I loved, and he had a killer finisher. That's all you need. As long as you can get the crowd involved, youre golden. He did that. You workrate fans can stick to your Dean Malenko matches, I'll take JBL anyday. I wish he was back, at least commentating would be great.
Posted By: Tbone3771 (Guest) on February 12, 2012 at 06:07 AM
ol at the marks complaining about how JBL ruined Smackdown.
Oh things never change.
Posted By: Defective14 (Guest) on February 10, 2012 at 06:12 PM
what about the closeted racists defending him? are his titties as flabby as yours?
Posted By: Guest#6836 (Guest) on May 07, 2012 at 07:00 PM
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