So where were we? I had just landed in LA for the American Film Market and got the call from the WWE that they wanted to bring me in for an interview before I started my new job in like ten days. In the meantime, I was scheduled to be in LA for a week representing our films, fly back to Memphis, pack up my stuff, and drive back to DC.
I called up the WWE and talked with the HR person to whom I'd been talking. She and I figure out when I can come up there for my interview. I was scheduled to get back to Memphis on the Monday night, pack up my stuff on Tuesday, drive back to DC on Wednesday, Thursday I would be flying up to Stamford to interview with them Thursday and Friday, fly back to DC on Saturday and start my new job on Monday. Damn.
Anyway, I spend the week in LA. Negotiating, selling, hobnobbing, going to see movies, schmoozing, hanging out, ect. It was like movie spring break. You bullshit with people all day and drink all night. A damn good time. I headed back to Memphis on Monday and immediately started packing. I picked up the Uhaul the next day and packed everything up. I basically didn't sleep at all that night. Got up the next morning for the 12 hour drive to DC. I stopped in Nashville to try and talk to TNA. I figured why not play both sides against each other. I ended up talking briefly with Bill Banks or Behrens I can never remember who is who. Then headed back out on the road. I got to DC and immediately unpacked the Uhaul and packed up my suitcase to go up to Stamford.
The next morning I flew out of DC at like 6 am and got up to Stamford where I got picked up by Vince and Linda's driver. The entire time in Stamford was class all the way. The driver was really nice. He was telling all kinds of stories about how he got the job, who he's driven around, all kinds of stories about the business, his wife, just a great guy. In the back they had pre-release magazines included one for Bret Hart's DVD so of course I marked out. The car dropped me off at the hotel and was scheduled to pick me up for my first interview later. I checked in and got in a workout at the gym, took a shower, put on my suit and got picked up.
The driver drove me over to Titan Tower. I wish I could say I was awestruck, but really it's not all that impressive. Just an office building. Inside is awesome. HUGE posters everywhere. Incredible paintings and murals on the wall. I went in and met with the head of HR again. She asked a lot of the same questions about how I would fit in. Who I like on the roster who I would like to work with ect. Then she moved on to the bigger stuff. She asked, "If you were put in charge of the writing team today what's the first thing you would change?" I didn't hesitate for a moment. "I'd get rid of all the owners, general managers, co-general managers, sheriffs, and all that stuff." I told her about how I thought it was played out. How it was great for awhile, but it's gotten old and nobody cares and it's a negative. I explained how whenever I talked to a regular wrestling fan they all said the same thing, "What the hell is a co-general manager?" Her response, "Don't you think you need someone in charge of all the chaos? Everything that's going on." I said, "No. That's the point. Less chaos. If everything is chaotic then nothing is chaotic. You have a governing body. A championship committee, but you don't have an evil dictator pulling the strings. It's played out. No one cares about it anymore." I could tell immediately that that didn't get over. We talked some more then she set me up to go over to my second interview over at the TV studio. I waited around at Titan Tower for awhile then a car came to take me over to the TV Studio.
I waited there for the lady I was meeting with to finish some stuff up. While I was sitting there Jonathan Coachman came down from the studio. I guess he was recording voiceovers or something. He said hey and talked for a minute. He seemed like a good guy. After he left I heard a commotion on the stairs by where I was sitting. I ran over to see what it was. There on the landing was a couple of bags and Matt Hardy. Higher up the stairs was Ashley. Apparently Matt missed a step. I helped him up while Ashley rushed down the stairs. Let's just say I think he did a good job replacing Lita. He said thanks and again seemed like a good guy. He left the building and joked with the receptionist about his fall. When he left she told me that on the way in he had Ashley carrying all the bags and she had made fun of him so he tried to carry all the bags back out. Apparently, he was doing a photo-shoot or something.
After awhile the lady I was supposed to meet with came down. She was in some production meeting. Batista had torn his lat that week so they were scrambling to come up with a plan. She didn't tell me that, but I'd already read about it. This lady was very nice. She asked me a lot of the same stuff, but got more into my scripts and experience. She showed me around the tv studio. It was badass. Just awesome. We finished our interview and they had a car bring me back to the hotel.
The next day I got up and worked out and got a haircut. The car picked me up at 2 and took me over to Titan Tower. They told me to bring something to do since most likely I'd be waiting awhile. They gave me a brief tour of the Tower then took me to a conference room. There were a bunch of dvds and a tv if I got bored. I ended up working on a script that me and my friend had been showing around at the Film Market. Finally at almost five o'clock they told me they were ready for me. They took me upstairs to Stephanie's receptionist's office. I was told they were finishing up and would be out in a moment. As I sat there I noticed a half open box nearby. I had to open it up. Inside were the Bret Hart DVDs that were coming out a month or so later. Not stealing one was the hardest thing I ever did.
After a few minutes the door opened and out comes Linda McMahon. She said a few things back over her shoulder into the office. Then she turned around and saw me, "Hello. You must be the writer Stephanie is interviewing. I've heard good things." She was so nice. She asked about my trip, the hotel, where I was fun. Such a nice lady. Very friendly and motherly. Great lady.
After about five minutes, Shane comes out. That cocky obnoxious face he makes is not a work. It was plastered all over his face, "Alright Mom, we don't want Stephanie stuck here all night." He stuck his hand out to me, "Shane McMahon." I introduced myself and the whole time he was sizing me up the way a guy looks at another guy when he's trying to figure out if he can kick his ass. He came off like a total duchebag. We said a few things then he started to walk off. I said, "Nice meeting you." He barely looked back. Linda shook my hand again and said good luck, thanks for coming up, and nice meeting you. I sat back down and only a few minutes later Stephanie came out of the door of her office. "Sorry to be so late come on in."
Next time: My meeting with Stephanie and the call I wasn't supposed to hear.
