"F**k!" - Vince McMahon broke his own rule with furious backstage reaction after WWE legend swore, ex-writer recalls
Roddy Piper's WrestleMania 21 segment infuriated Vince McMahon backstage, according to former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz.
McMahon told Gewirtz to make sure Piper did not swear or go over his allotted time in his Piper's Pit segment with Steve Austin. While the WWE Hall of Famer followed the latter instruction, he inadvertently went against the first order by saying the word "bulls**t."
Gewirtz wrote about the incident in his book, "There's Just One Problem...: True Tales from the Former, One-Time, 7th Most Powerful Person in WWE." He recalled how McMahon reacted furiously after Piper cursed on live television:
"I saw Vince rise from his chair as he screamed, 'Did you know he was going to say that?!'" Gewirtz wrote. "'No, I had no idea—' 'F**k!' Vince screamed, violating his own 'no cursing' rule, as he slammed his headset down. I said the same thing to myself. There were tons of television executives, sponsors, potential sponsors, and celebrities in attendance."
Carlito interrupts Piper's Pit at Wrestlemania 21. April 3, 2005. @R_Roddy_Piper @steveaustinBSR @Bodyguylito http://t.co/6JrJ7YmxWF
According to Gewirtz, Vince McMahon wanted to show executives that WWE had moved beyond the edgy content they were known for in the past. WrestleMania 21 took place during the Ruthless Aggression era in 2005, three years before WWE adopted a TV-PG rating.
Roddy Piper and Vince McMahon allegedly "drove each other nuts"
Brian Gewirtz worked with Roddy Piper on several WWE segments, including an edition of Piper's Pit with Vince McMahon on SmackDown in 2003.
Amazing shot of Vince McMahon and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper! https://t.co/s1AyxLv8zy
The writer immediately noticed how the two men easily got on each other's nerves:
"Vince infamously had a love-hate relationship with Roddy," Gewirtz stated. "Yes, they respected each other, but as I can attest from being alone in a room with each of them, they drove each other nuts. It’s probably because they're so similar—legit tough guys who had tumultuous childhoods and learned from an early age not to take crap from anyone."
Piper was one of WWE's star attractions in the 1980s. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 61 after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Do you have any favorite Roddy Piper memories? Let us know in the comments section below.
Brian Gewirtz's book, "There's Just One Problem...: True Tales from the Former, One-Time, 7th Most Powerful Person in WWE," is available to buy on Amazon.