Vince McMahon thought “Bret Screwed Bret” was a Babyface Promo
During a recent edition of his Something to Wrestle podcast, Bruce Prichard discussed the fallout of the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997. Prichard addressed Vince McMahon’s infamous “Bret screwed Bret” promo and how Vince believed it was a “babyface promo.” Below are some highlights along with a video of the original promo in question (transcript via RingsideNews.com).
Bruce Prichard on why Vince McMahon conducted the interview segment: “There was so much backlash from a certain segment of the audience and audience members that probably wouldn’t normally speak up were speaking up about this and it was a peek behind the curtain of the business. Vince felt it was important to address it and to address the television audience and talk about, ‘Hey guys, this is what happened,’ and come out for the first time in his mind as the owner of WWE and he made this decision to kinda put the heat where he thought it should be.”
Prichard on how Vince believed it was a babyface promo: “I know Vince felt this was a babyface promo 100%, 100% Vince looked at it as a babyface promo on his part because he was explaining to the audience, ‘I did this for you. I did this for all the Superstars fo the WWE and I did this for you, the audience who support us. Bret didn’t wanna do the time-honored tradition and do what was right.’ So in Vince’s mind he’s telling the audience, ‘Hey guys, in order to continue to bring you the entertainment we do every week, this is why I had to do what I had to do, but Bret made me do it.”
Prichard on why Owen Hart opted to stay in WWE and didn’t leave with Bret Hart to WCW: “Most of the contact was between Vince and Owen. I had talked to Owen just to find out where his head was and everything. Where he kinda fell in the fallout from Bret. Owen had the same mindset of ‘Bret’s not gonna take care of my family and this is what I’m used to, I’m home here in the WWF.’ Most of if not all of the negotiations were done with Vince McMahon.”
