What’s the story?
On a recent episode of the Something to Wrestle With Podcast, Bruce Pritchard said that Vince McMahon initially saw Triple H as a mid-card talent at best. The former WWE producer also talked about the Curtain Call and working with Chyna.
In case you didn’t know...
Prichard’s most memorable character was Brother Love which he debuted in 1988. He’s also worked as a backstage agent and producer for the WWE and Impact Wrestling. Today, he has an on-screen role as an authority figure for re-branded Global Force Wrestling company.
The heart of the matter
In regards to Triple H’s status on the card, Prichard said that Jim Cornette and Vince McMahon believed he was a midcard player at best early in his career as Hunter Hearst Helmsley. It was Vince Russo how was the biggest proponent of Triple H, and without Russo in charge, Prichard said that Triple H wouldn’t have gotten the breaks he received early on.
The Curtain Call is an infamous moment involving the Kliq (Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, and Diesel at the time). At a time where the faces and heels were not supposed to break character, these four came together for an embrace at Madison Square Garden before Scott Hall and Kevin Nash left for WCW.
Prichard claims that everyone in WWE management would be offended by what they did. He added to that statement with the following quote:
"It was simply a feeling of what they did being disrespectful to Vince [McMahon], being disrespectful to the memory of Vince's dad doing it in the Garden, our home. It was something that hadn't been done before and something everybody was upset about, not just me, not just Cornette, but Vince McMahon, pretty much every one of the boys who wasn't involved in the Curtain Call."
When it came to working with Chyna, Prichard mentioned that they were a “package deal.” Triple H insisted on being present for every creative meeting involving Chyna.
What’s next?
There is a rumour that Triple H will return to the ring to face current Raw GM Kurt Angle. That match could take place at SummerSlam this August, and Triple H could be involved in the storyline involving Angle and Corey Graves.
Author’s take
I can definitely see where Vince McMahon and Jim Cornette were coming from on their initial thoughts of Triple H. His blue blood gimmick was only going to get him so far, but it was his tenacity of wanting to get better that led him to become the main event wrestler we know of now.
As for the Curtain Call, I think social media makes a big difference. If Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were around in the late 90’s for that moment, it wouldn’t have been as big of a deal because social media knocks down that fourth wall.
For example, we know from Xavier’s Woods’ YouTube channel Up Up Down Down that he’s great friends with the Usos, but they are in a bitter rivalry today on Smackdown Live. Most fans didn’t know the Kliq were such great friends until that moment at MSG, so you could understand how management would be upset at this time.
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