There's Just One Problem...: True Tales from the Former, One-Time, 7th Most Powerful Person in WWE
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Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
Create Date:2022-08-17 06:19:36
Update Date:2025-09-07
Status:finish
Author:Brian Gewirtz
ISBN:B09N3F8GXB
Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Brandon,
In There's Just One Problem, former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz tells of a contentious meeting with Vince McMahon that ultimately soured their then decade-plus working relationship。 With RAW taking place in Miami that night, Brian pitched a line surrounding Dwayne Wade, then superstar player for the NBA's Miami Heat, for The Miz to use to rile up the local crowd。 Unaware of who Dwyane Wade is, Vince dismissed the line essentially saying that because Vince himself isn't aware of who Dwayne Wade In There's Just One Problem, former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz tells of a contentious meeting with Vince McMahon that ultimately soured their then decade-plus working relationship。 With RAW taking place in Miami that night, Brian pitched a line surrounding Dwayne Wade, then superstar player for the NBA's Miami Heat, for The Miz to use to rile up the local crowd。 Unaware of who Dwyane Wade is, Vince dismissed the line essentially saying that because Vince himself isn't aware of who Dwayne Wade is, then no one else would be。Gewirtz points out that seeing as RAW's ratings very much move up and down like a cork in the ocean during the NBA playoffs, that the audience more than likely is aware of one of basketball's best players。 The end result was a screaming match in which both parties felt disrespected。 This specific situation would lead Brian to reconsider his role as a WWE-lifer, and maybe see what else is out there。 But how exactly did it get to that point? Why was a guy with a tenure of eleven years to that point still struggling to have his opinion heard?While Gerwitz had always been a life-long wrestling fan, he was one of the first staff writers to come to WWE from Hollywood。 Gewirtz had spent some time as a staff writer on the short-lived 90s sitcom Jenny, a vehicle for the then uber-popular Jenny McCarthy, and the MTV show Big Wolf on Campus。 While his Hollywood credentials may have endeared him to management, they bought little respect with the boys in the locker room。 Having to essentially navigate two political systems (management and workers) was a full-time job in and of itself。 You couldn't get too close to any one performer lest you wanted to appear as if you had favorites。 One such occasion is told in detail involving Gewirtz taking a trip to "wrestler's court" (a mock trial in which one wrestler is accused of something by another backstage: usually a rookie running afoul of a veteran) when Gewirtz was accused of favoring Edge and Christian after Gewirtz was seen accepting a gift in what others assumed was in exchange for more television time。Brian was working behind the scenes in WWE and ended up getting close to one performer in particular in The Rock。 There are more than a few stories detailing Gewirtz contributing to some of Rock's most memorable moments in the early 2000s。 His friendship and working relationship with Dwayne Johnson would both make him an invaluable member of the writing team but also would help open doors for him in Hollywood years down the road。 With Gewirtz now a part of the time making Johnson's NBC show, Young Rock, Brian has been able to seek more creatively fulfilling rolls outside of the WWE grind。 The truly fascinating moments in this book involve Vince McMahon。 With all the recent news surrounding the former CEO of WWE, Gewirtz' peak behind the curtain shows just how endlessly challenging it was working for a man who always insists he is right。 While there are a few stories collected in here that have certainly made the rounds over the years (having to completely rewrite shows from the ground up at the drop of a hat), there are others that will make your head spin。 If you're a life-long watcher of WWE, you're likely well aware of Vince McMahon's penchant for toilet-humor (vomiting, farting, etc)。 In one of his first meetings with Brian, Vince told him that WWE "doesn't do comedy, we do humor" and that "there's nothing funnier than someone stepping in dogshit。 If I could, I'd write a whole show on peopling stepping in dogshit, I would。" Speaks volumes for what we've seen on TV for decades。Vince always encouraged Brian to fight for his ideas but if he ever had a disagreement with Vince himself, Brian would never win, which is what ultimately damaged their working relationship。 Brian knew he couldn't win in an argument based around what should or shouldn't be on television, but even after years and years of loyal service, Vince still would only listen to himself and if he didn't get what Brian presented, it didn't go on the show。 I can only imagine how frustrating this can be for someone who knows the product inside and out and has proven time and time again to be of considerable value。To the best of my knowledge, this may be the first book written by a former head writer within WWE。 As expected, the job is not an easy one and operating under a man with a work ethic the likes of Vince McMahon is a job that can only be done by select few individuals。 With Brian having worked strictly as a writer and with no in-ring experience, THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM intends to give the reader a fascinating look at how just one aspect of the WWE machine operates, but ends up showing much more。 。。。more
Andrew Shaffer,
What's it like to work for WWE (formerly WWF)? More specifically, what's it like to work for Vince McMahon, WWE's chairman? Gewirtz pulls the curtain back and invites readers into the surreal world of professional wrestling (or "sports entertainment," as WWE bills it these days), as seen through the wide eyes of a 26-year-old screenwriter (wrestling is scripted, but don't call it fake)。 Gewirtz is thrown into the deep end and must learn to swim with the sharks。 "There's Just One Problem" is equa What's it like to work for WWE (formerly WWF)? More specifically, what's it like to work for Vince McMahon, WWE's chairman? Gewirtz pulls the curtain back and invites readers into the surreal world of professional wrestling (or "sports entertainment," as WWE bills it these days), as seen through the wide eyes of a 26-year-old screenwriter (wrestling is scripted, but don't call it fake)。 Gewirtz is thrown into the deep end and must learn to swim with the sharks。 "There's Just One Problem" is equal parts hilarious and harrowing。In this case, the "sharks" are frequently larger-than-life wrestlers such as Undertaker and The Rock, Vince McMahon and his family, and (occasionally) outside writers and producers who seem hellbent on disrupting the system to the point of breaking。 Gewirtz's anxiety is palpable from the first page, as "the boys" backstage razz him。 There are so many unwritten rules that it's impossible not to run afoul of them, and Gewirtz constantly finds himself in hot water with men two, three, or four times his size。 I've always dreamed of a career writing for WWE, but for some reason they've never returned my calls。 After reading this memoir, I'm。。。kind of relieved? I wouldn't last a half hour inside a high-pressure cooker like WWE。 There were many points where I feared for the author's health and safety, despite this being a memoir -- he could have written it from a hospital bed, for all I know。 How Gewirtz lasted 16 days -- let alone 16 years! -- inside the madhouse of WWE is something of a miracle, given the hair-trigger temper of his former boss and the complicated backstage politics。It should come as no surprise that a writer responsible for some of the best segments in WWE history has produced an equally entertaining book。 While it's definitely a "warts and all" memoir, Gewirtz isn't here to settle old scores。 (Except in the case of ex-creative director Vince Russo, who gets lightly -- and deservedly -- roasted。) He praises most of the talent, and strikes up a working relationship with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson that continues to this day。 For the IWC (Internet Wrestling Community, or hardcore fans who follow "the dirtsheets") there are plenty of tales told here out of school for the first time。 For casual or non-wrestling fan readers, Gewirtz defines wrestling terminology as he uses it -- there's plenty of context, too, so even casual or lapsed wrestling fans will have no trouble keeping up with the story。 。。。more