WWE veteran says Vince McMahon would not let him sleep while traveling (Exclusive)

Vince McMahon was WWE's creative figurehead for four decades before stepping aside in 2022. Vince Russo, the company's former head writer, recently recalled how the 79-year-old treated him when they worked together.

Russo was WWE's co-head writer alongside Ed Ferrara in the late 1990s. The two men played a key role in RAW's television ratings success at the start of the Attitude Era. In 1999, they both left WWE to join WCW.

On Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing With Russo, Russo told host Dr. Chris Featherstone about his car journeys with Shane and Vince McMahon. The veteran writer revealed that the McMahons wanted him and Ferrara to stay awake in the early hours of the morning.

"Me and Ed used to sit in the back and, bro, at that point, we're exhausted, and Vince wanted to keep talking about business and what we're doing tomorrow," Russo said. "And, bro, if Ed and I would nod off, do you know what he would do? Windows down, man. Him and Shane would roll [the windows down]. Bro, it could be 20 degrees outside. They would roll the window down so me and Ed couldn't sleep." [6:40 – 7:11]

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Watch the video above to hear Russo address a key reason why he left WWE for WCW.

Vince Russo says traveling with Vince McMahon was "torture"

In the same episode, Vince Russo applauded Vince McMahon for having a strong work ethic. The 64-year-old also admitted he struggled to keep up with the former WWE Chairman's grueling schedule.

Russo added that McMahon's post-show car journeys were "hell" because he required more sleep than his then-boss:

"It was torture, bro. It was literally torture. People were looking at me like I was the chosen one getting to travel with Vince. It was hell. It was hell, Chris." [7:12 – 7:27]

Russo also disclosed details about an offer he recently received to return to the wrestling business.

Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing With Russo and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart