"That was like really bad comedy" - Eric Bischoff is not a fan of a controversial world title change
Eric Bischoff answered many questions during a loaded "Ask Eric Anything" edition of his 83 Weeks podcast on AdFreeShows.com.
Bischoff was asked about Vince McMahon and Vince Russo booking themselves to become world champions and whether he'd have done the same during his time as boss.
Vince Russo had a short reign with the WCW Championship after he booked himself to win a Steel Cage match against Booker T in September 2000. Russo won the contest by escaping the cage after he was speared through it by Goldberg.
Russo's world title victory was one of the final nails in the coffin for WCW, as the company would later get purchased by Vince McMahon. Eric Bischoff, who was instrumental in WCW's rise, felt that Russo's WCW title win was like watching a badly-done comedic angle.
"Russo that was like really bad comedy. That's how painful it was. Do you remember? I know you have because you love comedy and going to comedy shows; it's like sitting through two hours of bad stand-up comedy. It's painful," Eric Bischoff said.
I don't think Vince McMahon putting the title on himself was a creative sin: Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff, however, explained how Vince McMahon winning the WWE Championship made sense from a character standpoint. Vince won the WWE Championship from Triple when he was in an intense feud with The Game and Stephanie McMahon.
Stone Cold Steve Austin was also involved in the storyline, and Vince McMahon's authoritative status justified a world title run. Eric Bischoff said Vince's exceptional character work and promo skills were enough to sell the WWE chairman's reign with the belt.
Bischoff added that he would personally never book himself to become a world titleholder.
"No, that would have been horrible. You know, the closest I got to was beating Terry Funk for the Hardcore title, but I held it for about 36 hours. So, no, I would have never done that. You know, it's a little different with McMahon. It's acceptable in my mind, creatively, I mean. You can believe it, buy into it because he is Vince, and he has the look, and he has the character, and he certainly has the ability to pull it off on the mic, and he had the ability in the ring," added Bischoff.
"He certainly wasn't Eddie Guerrero," continued Bischoff, "but he didn't need to be with his character. And what he did do, he did really well. So, I don't think Vince McMahon putting the title on himself was a creative sin. I really don't."
What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon and Vince Russo's respective world title reigns? Sound off in the comments section below.
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