STW #81: The Creation of and Early Days of Raw

[@shawnmckahan165]

I love the show. This is the most in-depth discussion about the creation of the longest running weekly episodic television show in history

[@ASHUTOSH-im6pp]

07:00

[@Super122291]

jc 23 baby ❤️

[@greysonsygarza687]

Love you!!

[@matthewhudson7883]

Thanks. That opening was insanely long.

[@KC1989ify]

God amonst men 🙈

[@vinson311]

Papa bless 🙌

[@mrkipling2201]

Prime time with Bobby heenan and gorilla monsoon was absolutely brilliant!! I used to watch it just for those two!! Comedy gold!!

[@stevepmg9202]

It shocks me that a superfan like Conrad and an insider like Bruce don't know why Shawn switched to the superkick for a finish (he used the piledriver for ages after he ditched the side suplex too). Shawn tells the story that he's in a car with a partially inebriated Scott, and the Bad Guy just says "Man, that kick is your most over move, that should be your finish." Hall was full of wisdom - big Kev used to love doing a leapfrog in his match because he COULD and because he was proud of his athleticism, until Chico says to him while tipsy "Man, you're the biggest guy in the company. Just let them run into you." Diesel never did the leapfrog again. Great mind for the business, Razor.

[@TheScottchristophers]

This is easily one of the best episodes

[@bdr113080]

I agree it really takes me back to those days. Yes we all love the Monday night war era 1997 through 2000 with Steve Austin, DX, The Rock, Mankind, The Godfather, etc. But honestly The last few years I’ve actually had more than a Stalgia for the first two or three years of Monday night raw than I do the late 90s stuff. No they weren’t in giant NBA Arena and they didn’t have a titan Tron, it wasn’t three hours long, and everything felt more real and more authentic. I feel like honestly the last 15 years or so that they’re more worried about production and music and special effects for me actually do what’s going on in the ring. Those first 3 years with Bret Hart, Yokozuna , HBK , Diesel , Razor Ramon, Bam Bam, Undertaker, Lex Luger, Tatanka, Smoking Guns, Randy Savage, Mr. Perfect, etc. in front of a couple thousand people meant so much more In the multi million dollar monstrosity it is every week now.

[@rockstarbd82]

Repo Man was believable, hilarious, told good stories in the ring and had one of the better entrance themes of the time haha. And that Mr. Perfect vs Ric Flair match is still one of RAW's best matches.

[@Redhotshawntexas]

It was believable that Repo Man would repossess Randy Savage’s hat?

[@mikeg.8904]

I'm here from 2020... Turn around and go back to 2017-18, immediately.

[@michaelforsythe9350]

I never knew who Conrad was & never knew his story until just recently when I read an article about him on ESPN.com. He's a mortgage broker who hit it off with Ric Flair after a chance meeting & before he knew it he was hosting 3- very popular podcasts, putting on Starrcast & then marrying one of Ric Flair's daughters. All that just from a chance meeting with Flair. That is crazy.

[@adam-thesportsguy6147]

michael forsythe props to Conrad...he hit the jackpot once given an opportunity...hats off and fair play to him! Love this show and hope Bruce’s new WWE schedule and career resumption doesn’t end the podcast or his willingness to spill the beans about his experiences.

[@michaelforsythe9350]

@@adam-thesportsguy6147 plus now he does a show with JR "Grilling JR" JR is great on that show, he is a walking encyclopedia, that makes 4-great podcasts with some really big names of the business. Bruce, Tony, Bischoff, & JR.

[@JLee-pq1zb]

Chance, Ric's broke ass knows who the Marks are and where the money is

[@warwickben]

Didn’t him and a few friends pay tic to hang out and give stories

[@NickTaylorRickPowers]

Ric Flair: I'll trade you one daughter for a line of credit Con Rad: which daughter, under what terms and duration will said daughter be "paid"? Ric Flair: wooooo

[@jimspence882]

My favourite episode so far love it hope you carry on up the Chain

[@bdr113080]

As a southern wrestling fan my friends and I were always more into NWA/WCW but this was my favorite time in WWF. I loved the first 3 years of Monday Night Raw. That’s when WWF was must see TV . Great episode!

[@anthonynoriega3602]

Ico-Pro !!! You gotta love it....

[@POW1E19]

Anthony Noriega You gotta want it!!!!!

[@anthonynoriega3602]

@@POW1E19 my bad... I was like 9 or 10... Yeah that makes more sense.

[@bdr113080]

And that’s what Ico-Pro is all about!

[@FreneticZetetic]

Godddamnit, pal!

[@extremeredtv5728]

Sean Mooney got the anchor job at WWOR-TV in NJ.

[@BrandanTheBroker]

As I'm listening to this on April 9th 2022, we're now 9 months from Raw 30 😲 I officially feel dirt old 😭

[@rowds]

I know right, I remember watching it, but I was only 5, turning 6, years old in 93.

[@nonamerequired123]

50:53-50:55 your eyes may not have have noticed the show was shot differently, but your brain did.

[@SupaStah01]

Todd Pettengill > Micheal Cole

[@weworldwide1348]

That's funny cuz back then most fans didn't like Todd at all. I guess looking back always changes one's perspective. Guess what... in 20 years, people will say this era was great.

[@SupaStah01]

@@weworldwide1348 no they won't. In 20 years they'll be talking about the era wrestling died

[@Zero8880]

@@weworldwide1348 Yeah, just like the Star Wars Prequels.

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

We Worldwide! NO! No one will say THIS era is great!

[@Dredsed]

@@weworldwide1348 you're totally full of crap. Most fans enjoyed Pettengill. He was nothing like Cole. Don't speak for "most fans" when you don't have a damn clue about what was going on. Pettengill was well liked. The fact ypu cant even spell Michael and think that time will help this era to be looked at as great should tell anyone reading who is the moron here. Funny how you claim "most fans didn't like him" and yet this thread is literally an example of a fan, liking him. You dickhead.

[@vilekyle3000]

I think Repo Man was awesome and I don't care who knows it!

[@osaji922]

I'm a Kim Chee man myself.

[@Nostalgicguy2242]

Max Moon shooting freakin' lazers out of his TITTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

Bastion Booger!!

[@Dredsed]

He was!

[@southbeachtalent]

1993 is, I think, the lowest year in the business. (Possibly 95) And Raw still did a 3.0! It could only dream of that today

[@Nostalgicguy2242]

That says a lot about the appeal that Yokozuna had over Roman Reigns….

[@POW1E19]

I miss those days ! Even if the crowds were not coming to the live shows I was watching every week.. prime time and then Raw. And Saturday at 6:05

[@AntiPopLTD]

Dfuc else were u gonna watch in 93??? Saved by the fucking Bell? ER? What were there 15 channels?

[@martinmcneela7336]

@@AntiPopLTD hey, hey, hey, hey, hey what is going on here? Saved by the bell was great. It still shows to this day.

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

Just looked at some recent Raw ratings. I believe they’re averaging 0.7! www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2020/07/wwe-raw-garners-near-record-low-audience-672932/

[@bdr113080]

It’s funny because the idea they had for RAW the first few years is why it worked . Now the only thing they still do that’s the same is that it’s live every Monday. Can you imagine in 93 someone in Vince’s circle saying “hey let’s hire 2 dozen writers to write a script for the boys!” That’s not very RAW at all!

[@markmenning1804]

I think I prefer this era of wrestling

[@adam-thesportsguy6147]

Mark Menning sadly the business is so exposed now the fans can’t be satisfied...this was the disaster old timers warned of when people would expose the business.

[@rustykuntz94]

Bobby Heenan trying to get into the building on the first RAW was great stuff....the Rob Bartlett thing was similar in Football around that time when on MONDAY Night Football they put Dennis Miller on as the 3rd guy to be the "topical humor guy"

[@kevied88]

They need to do heat, shotgun livewire and velocity episodes

[@ajk]

they never did Superstars and Challenge either did they?

[@tomnagy3010]

I'm sure Bruce knows enough Andre stories to fill a 90-minute show even if he wasn't around Andre much in the WWF in the 80s. I would like to hear an Andre show, perhaps for show #100?

[@RealAlphaDrum]

Wish they would do RAW like this again. RAW now is WWE Monday Night Tediously Overproduced Soap Opera Theatre.

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

1:52:37-I really liked Brutus the Barber as a kid and I found it VERY BELIEVABLE that he could be the IC champ (I always knew wrestling was a work). I was very sad for Brutus that his career was “ending” after his accident!

[@jayb-clay2724]

when WWF was on fire during the attitude era there's no way they could of stayed in a 600 seat arena and not travel lol would of missed out on a fortune.

[@garethwilby4033]

How can Bruce clearly remember so many conversations and moments from his career,a lot of this stuff happened 25 years ago?

[@DarksaberForce]

Reminds me of Jim Cornette.

[@guitarplayer8918]

it's called memory - how can you not remember stuff like that?

[@adam-thesportsguy6147]

Bruce and Jim Cornette took copious notes during their careers which has become very valuable for them both today.

[@weworldwide1348]

@@guitarplayer8918 I'll ask you in 25 years what kinda convo you had on 7-19-2019 with a specific co-worker of yours. Let's see if you recall, brody.

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

We Worldwide! Make sure you tell his ass the context! I tell stories of my life as a kid. I can tell you what was said and even how I thought about it! Again! It’s called (personal) memory!

[@danielhamby9448]

Vince should buy the Brooklyn Nets and change their name to the Brooklyn Brawlers

[@gregoryhoyle3739]

The Bret Hart heel turn in 97 was my favorite time in WWE. I stopped flipping back and forth from that moment on.

[@josephboza7448]

Some crowd you have to just love. New York is one of them. This was fun going back in time to see what Raw is now. Sometimes Vince took things for credit. Being 40 minutes away from the Center is one of them. He didnt realize, wrestlers have to travel hours sometimes days and you dont know how airports and agents can be. Sometimes its a pain in the butt.

[@joetroller514]

what's up with the iTunes version of this? it stops after about 15 seconds in.

[@weworldwide1348]

iTunes sux donkeyb@llz, brody.

[@thickerconstrictor9037]

When Conrad says Vince has Andres old halliburton wtf is that

[@thunercattt6018]

Repoman was awesome!

[@chriscalvert8023]

I fucking loved The Repo Man! I thought he was hilarious!

[@jamesbonnen]

1:06:00 Damien Dimento from the inner workings of your mind

[@LinusKnight]

hahah GD bruce doin cornettes impression over instrumental of botorious BIG song is gold (bow ba-DAYMMMM,.. bow ba-DAYMMMM" hahah

[@johnthomson5816]

These guys are hotshotting the shoot interview and podcast business. I mean seriously, where can we go from here if we literally get every bit of information possible. Conrad does too good of a job formatting the shows and asking so many detailed questions that we get detailed answers and there is literally nothing left to wrestle with from here. I tell ya, they are killing the shoot interview podcast business.

[@Super122291]

John Thomson unless Bruce has a job again in wwe then no more shoots

[@cinnordlaw2335]

It's not like Bruce Pritchard's word is gospel. There's plenty of other perspectives to be had in podcasts.

[@redacid97]

John Thomson Was

[@POW1E19]

John Thomson Yeah there are a lot of instances where Conrad asks Bruce the same questions in different shows.. and Bruce gives the same answers

[@mrkipling2201]

I didn’t know that terry Taylor was in the WWF in 1993. Really surprised me that did.

[@MrJunebug4252]

These are the best thing every listen to ever episode

[@carver7585]

What fuck are you talking about?

[@jamesgentry13]

Ol JuneBug GODDAMN! GRAMMAR PAL!

[@philm2217]

James Gentry that made me burst out laughing

[@2009JMLM]

I listen to about 10-15 mins. Then fall asleep.

[@2009JMLM]

But you shouldn't listen to this when you are in bed.

[@33malone]

Well done guys!

[@Battlecatmode]

Happy 100000 subs

[@rustykuntz94]

The Kamala Babyface turn OMG I forgot that. The vignettes with Slick and him learning how to eat food properly and he's bowling, man they just couldn't do shit like this anymore. Even Vince being like "Kamala is being humanized by Reverand Slick." Like he wasn't a human prior to this?

[@Tsadi9Mem9Khet9]

I was in Charity Hospital in New Orleans for quiet a while at the age of eight due to "complications" from an appendectomy. While I was there somebody stole my fucking pizza from the refrigerator.

[@Joeywatts1500]

Hey Bruce prichard what if the wwe ask you to come back for the 25th anniversary. would you go back ? thanks joey

[@jamesomalley4641]

the the Joseph watts show. I don't want Bruce I want #BrotherLove lol

[@Super122291]

James OMalley got your wish kid

[@toptenguy1]

1:37:40 : And Marcus Mariota imitated Mr Perfect just last weekend. :)

[@benashworth7653]

they should have used Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling

[@jeremybayne5895]

ben ashworth selling his chochkies on the T-shirt website 😂😂

[@bostonsportsfan9128]

Bartlet was garbage

[@Wesker-bg1rn]

WCW was way better at this point in time. It wasn't until it became the raw is war format that people started watching again.

[@78bcat]

Love the "Vince is so cool he told Ric he could leave whenever...then let him" story. Of course he held Ric to a non-compete where he couldn't actually wrestle until June, but we'll ignore that...

[@nexusassoon8367]

78bcat what business sense would it make to not have that? He was being nice not an idiot

[@keithcrockett5675]

78bcat was under contract till April that yr 1993.... 60 days NO COMPETE CLAUSE.... WHY LET HIM WORK FOR A COMPETITOR WHY YOU STILL HAVE HIM EMPLOYED.... PAID TWICE

[@weworldwide1348]

@@keithcrockett5675 how was he paid? Vince didn't offer guaranteed contracts back then. He only made money if he actually worked.

[@dkg46342]

So what was the huge surprise they kept advertising?.

[@xantastic6301]

Bruce is getting a sex change

[@antondalton8293]

Im predicting the guest.... Mark Calloway

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

1:54:16-Saying “if the New York audience buys it, everybody will” makes the NY audience sound stupid!

[@medicinemansworld6462]

The Teardrop Suplex

[@bonesbrigader]

1:20:26 That laugh , had me pissin

[@markmichel3855]

SD went live in 2016. It has changed

[@davidfrederick1971]

1993 saw Tito Santana end his WWF career with a house show vs Damien Damento July 1993

[@Dizzy1980]

It was actually August 13, 1993 in Wildwood, NJ.

[@FreneticZetetic]

Dizzy August 13, 1993 was also the day Jason Goes to Hell was released in theaters.

[@tonym456]

After rewatching the first episode of Raw, I researched to find out if Rob Bartlett hung himself later in life. I'm sad to report, he has not.

[@rustykuntz94]

He was a NY comic/DJ. A D list comic/DJ and a HORRIBLE choice for that 3rd man on the mic for RAW when he wasn't a wrestling guy

[@rowds]

God I can't remember the one guest commentator they had for a PPV maybe WM one time in the 90's. Some late night talk show host or something. He just kept saying stuff about the wrestlers weight lol.

[@ChubbyCox13]

@@rowds Art Donovan

[@PsytoxKoma]

1:05:06 i'll sample it later

[@markmichel3855]

They never did show the conclusion of that undertaker match

[@polishwonder7888]

1:17:15 starts the best part ...Macho Hat freak out freak out ...ITS MONDAY NIGHT RAW!!!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@gocanuckurself1]

#Topical

[@aronmaslan6604]

How did they make any money back then? I remember attending a show in the North East in 1993 in a major arena and there was probably 3,000 seats sold in a 16,000 arena. Like they said, it cost 10 to 20 thousand to rent the arena, then have to pay the crew and wrestlers.

[@rowds]

You're making stuff up. Utter nonsense and lies. They only held RAW events in about 6 different venues in 1993, mainly the Manhattan Center. The largest arena they held RAW in, in 1993 was the New Haven Coliseum in Connecticut. The maximum capacity was around 11,171.

[@pikkon899]

I wish Conrad didn't spend so much time on the finances. Who cares? I love hearing the stories about how and why they chose the Manhattan center as well as the behind the scenes conversations. All of that is great but geez, stop with the numbers already.

[@danieledwards1156]

I run my own business so love that side of things, maybe they should condense that segment so people not interested can skip it

[@rowds]

geez? jeez not geez. Geez sounds like geezer.

[@dorlow3765]

26:00 Basil is pronounced BAZil not BAYzil

[@saibisureddo5657]

hate to say it but in most of America its BAYzil lol. But people from different regions will argue over this kind of crap forever and most linguists will tell you that both are actually equally right. In nearly every case.

[@saibisureddo5657]

Because language other then like the Rosetta Stone language as a concept isn't written in stone. It is very fluid.

[@TheWildCur]

It's all regional.

[@martinmcneela7336]

I call it bayzil in ireland unless its ssomeones name but ive yet to encounter a real life basil

[@JUVI9596]

RAW = Real American Wrestling?

[@gocanuckurself1]

Down Town clown Real American Sports-Entertainment

[@misternewman1576]

Really Awful Wrestling

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

No! Raw! Uncooked and uncensored!

[@Dredsed]

No

[@rowds]

@@Dredsed proof?

[@bigogarland7325]

Bruce loves ZZ Texas ass Top... Hell yeah

[@DANGERUSSTV]

2022 relistening!

[@marklupo3441]

Actually surprised me Vince listened to imus. Considering they turned raw in Howard stern show. But Imus was always funnier and had a better show

[@thegoldentroll]

Too bad Conrad isn't over.

[@jamessumerlin9793]

Wrestling Historian ITS Bruce fault

[@saulgoodman4855]

But he used to be. Hell I used to be over also..... LoL

[@adam-thesportsguy6147]

Wrestling Historian i use to be over!

[@junegiovanni6475]

I WANT A Chyna and Luna Vachon, something to wrestle with....or sable.

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

At the time, the Shawn Michaels side suplex was my favorite wrestling move!

[@jamieharvey9349]

The teardrop suplex!!! Yea it was a good maneuver!

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

Jamie Harvey I used to use it as a finisher when my friends and I wrestled. I stopped using it because I did it one day and brought the guys knee right into his face, bloodying his nose real bad! I kayfabed and pinned him!

[@Dredsed]

It was crap lol

[@stephaniek3756]

Bruce is adorable

[@duffman18]

Radio is still huge, it didn't go away after the 90s. Radio is still the most consumed form of media, its bigger than TV and movies, it's bigger than the Internet. It's quite kind blowing when you find that out, but it makes sense if you think about it, with everybody driving to work all the time or driving for their job. You can't put on a KZbin video when you're driving.

[@Dredsed]

Stats or you're just talking

[@rowds]

You can put youtube videos on when driving, of course you can. But should you? probably not.

[@paslotplayer]

30 to 33.30. I don't like behind the scenes. If you all hate wrestling newsletters, why did people subscribe to the newsletters?

[@pauldodge1975]

No suicide dives on early raws.

[@osaji922]

Nope. They saved that stuff for the big shows like you're supposed to do. The young cats should learn to do the same. May save them a year or two on their career.

[@bostonsportsfan9128]

paul dodge because all these Indy smarks suck and can't tell a story

[@Super122291]

Osaji Obi like rollins he loves to do those suicide dives

[@POW1E19]

Shawn and Bret worked an arm bar and later a chin lock for a good 10 minutes at Survivor Series 92. They got their other shit in between.. but Shawn sold the arm all thru the match

[@JS-lo8hr]

If he's face, the gimmick can't be racist.

[@fmthebaron]

No way were tickets only $10-$15 back then. New York always was expensive, more like $50 a person at least.

[@KizzMyAbs]

I agree that's way too cheap for a 600 seat venue in Manhattan N.Y.

[@DJIronMike1981]

Different times

[@codystrader7594]

They wanted a packed house every show.

[@Dredsed]

Then you have no concept of what 10 bucks would have bought you in NYC in 1993. Or what 50 bucks would have bought. Keep being an ignorant hick.

[@mjolden]

"Something to Wrestle With, con Bruce Prichard!" "Con" means "with", Bruce. 😂

[@Dredsed]

Thanks 🙄

[@rowds]

con means Conrad the con-man

[@scottyb003]

I was hoping for more out of this. Sych as, going into transitioning into different eras.

[@Dredsed]

Then you didn't read the title properly.

[@BIGDAZR]

God imagine Brutus the fucking barber beefcake on top with hogan in the main event, lol jokes in happened a year and a half later in wcw CLASSIC HOGAN

[@ricosalvaje8131]

BIGDAZR hogan was super played out in wwe. He would get a pop becausr it was nice to see him but he needed to go away for a while

[@ssjrblack1365]

Repo man was funny lol

[@weworldwide1348]

yeah, funny looking

[@Dredsed]

@@weworldwide1348 nope just funny.

[@evilbanjos5768]

God damn pal

[@dw1985]

Barlett sucked, lets all be honest. Am I right?

[@jackiethompson7446]

Ewell ewe knoe

[@weworldwide1348]

exactly!

[@mikequesada6559]

I hate studio wrestling as well..

[@weworldwide1348]

No love for Saturday Night or Worldwide?

[@darrenlambert2099]

Get rid of all the ads and plugging for merchandise and these episodes are about 40 minutes long.

[@mikewilliams8816]

Darren Lambert get rid of all that and they can’t afford to do the show

[@LongIslandNow]

Where is VLAD??

[@andrewsmith8308]

Roll Tide

[@adam-thesportsguy6147]

Andrew Smith how Roll Tide was Stacy Keibler and Trish back in the day?

[@davidfrederick1971]

My GOD Conrad and I agree on something...We both hate Repo Man gimmick as well as 5 "brutus the fucken barber beefcake" LOL

[@leoteasdale7484]

Thank god they dropped the idea of "Wrestling at the chase" black tie and dinner. That would of sucked.! Back in the day years and years ago here In Coventry U.K they used to hold black tie wresyling events with 3 course meals etc. This was back in the 40s and 1950s. I have an old Wrestling event poster/flyer from one of these old wrestling and Dinner events.!! It might of worked back then but not in the early 90s and beyond

[@rowds]

''would of''?? come on man. It's ''would have'' and if you want to shorten that it would be ''would've'' there is no of!!! ''would of'' makes absolutely no sense.

[@MattBrzozowski]

Ron Bartlett was incredibly obnoxious

[@davidfrederick1971]

We live just outside Scranton and my wifes family attended many WWF house shows at the CYC. To call it "scrotum" is INSULTING to all the years people paid to see their wrestling

[@jayb-clay2724]

max moon was just a mega man rip off lol

[@thunercattt6018]

They originally named him Komet Kid, then it quickly changed lol

[@markmenning1804]

Black tie wrestling event that seems like an oxymoron

[@BSultimate]

Two things that are well overdue for cancellation The Simpsons RAW

[@weatheredtome]

Ratings and $$ says otherwise.

[@xantastic6301]

$2 BILLION

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

WOW! Cancelling Raw would be like cancelling wrestling. (I don’t watch Raw, just commenting)

[@rowds]

@@weatheredtome because ratings really matter right? WCW was pulling 2.5's to 3.0's when they were cancelled on their TV. Highest rated programming on TBS...cancelled. WWE these days is pulling what, 0.7's to 1.0's?? fantastic ratings eh.

[@weatheredtome]

@@rowds ratings were entirely different back then. You're comparing apples and oranges, my dear.

[@therealmaskedheel]

God. That Hogan interview from Raw sounds like something Donald Trump would say in regards to "Fake News".

[@sllimthg]

@Marcus B trump sucks