Former WWE writer says Vince McMahon screamed at him after legend used a curse word on TV
Former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz remembers how Vince McMahon shouted and screamed backstage after Hall of Famer Roddy Piper cursed on air.
Piper returned to WWE in 2005 and had a Piper's Pit segment with Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 21. Gewirtz was then a writer with the company and was in charge of the segment between the two icons.
In his recent appearance on the Cheap Heat podcast, Brian Gewirtz recalled Vince McMahon telling him that Roddy Piper should not use a curse word during a promo as there were sponsors watching.
"Long story short of it is Vince [McMahon] is like, ‘Okay, I got your bullet points, it’s all good. I only ask you one thing, make sure Roddy [Piper] doesn’t curse. There’s sponsors here, the world is watching us, make sure he doesn’t curse’ and, ‘I got it. I will tell him’ and so I told Roddy that. He’s like, ‘Yeah, got you kid. No problem. You can trust me.’"
He recalled how Piper went on an impromptu improvisation and used a curse word. He also noted how the former CEO reacted
"And Roddy goes out there, he’s cutting his promo, everything’s going great. I’m in Gorilla Position backstage on headset, [Steve] Austin’s pacing, waiting to go out and Roddy starts doing his little improvise like, ‘Who’s the biggest rebel in WWE history?’ The whole crowd’s chanting ‘Austin’ and goes, ‘Ah! That’s bullsh*t!’ And Vince, as soon as he saw that, it was like — I’ll date myself." [H/T Post Wrestling]
2 Icons: Steve Austin stuns Roddy Piper @ WrestleMania 21. https://t.co/8FeeqyuQjl
Gewirtz also recalled how McMahon screamed at him and angrily asked him if he knew that Piper would curse on the mic and had a temper tantrum in the Gorilla Position. Piper, after returning backstage, sounded oblivious to the fact that he had used a curse word in his promo and even questioned if "bullsh*t" was a curse word.
Roddy Piper made several appearances during his second run with WWE
After re-signing with WWE in 2005, Piper featured in several segments on RAW and SmackDown and even wrestled a few times. The Hall of Famer was also in the 2008 men's Royal Rumble match.
Piper even had a match at WrestleMania 25, when he, Ricky Steamboat, and Jimmy Snuka faced Chris Jericho in a handicap elimination match. He also appeared at WrestleMania 30 and 31 in backstage segments.
Fact no. 2 Jimmy Snuka would become the oldest person to compete at wrestlemania at the age of 65 when he teamed with Roddy Piper & Ricky Steamboat to take on Chris Jericho in a 3 on 1 handicap match at wrestlemania 25 #WWE #Wrestlemania https://t.co/32ehvbQgbn
The legend left the company in July 2015 after his show Piper's Pit lost the WWE Legends contract. He passed away later that month at the age of 61.
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