Brother Love on why Vince McMahon originally didn’t want him to play the role, who influenced the character, other talent who were considered for the gimmick,
Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard
Preamble
Big Boss Man episode – mixed feedback from listeners, so at least they are being honest.
The controversy on the Dave Meltzer (DM) comment – Bruce said that DM likes to complain and he reiterated the blading story from last week. Bruce wondered how DM feels now that an accusation is being made about him. The DM and Bruce feud has become a little tiresome. The story is very much rumor and innuendo that DM was involved at all so Bruce changed his tune somewhat from last week.
Bruce called DM a “gossip monger.”
Conrad mentioned the Million Dollar Man episode on the network; folks if you have heard the podcast version, the network version did not add anything new.
Conrad does say that they have some old footage of Bruce going over the Million Dollar Man segment scenes, next network episode will be Roddy Piper.
The pair congratulated each other for getting to 100 episodes. They have had quite a run.
Royal Rumble 1992 will be a bonus show.
Background
Bruce came over to WWE in 1987 to work behind the scenes publishing the television and by 1988 all the WWE TV syndication.
In 1988 he moved to the creative areas working with Pat and McMahon and he eventually pitched the Brother Love idea.
Bruce’s motivation for Brother Love was the tent revivals where the evangelists would present. Bruce would watch as a child behind the tent and was mesmerised by how these evangelists could captivate an audience.
Bruce wasn’t a huge fan of organized religion. Jimmy Swaggart was one of these top evangelists back in the day; Bruce also mentioned Jim Baker and Robert Titlton. It was Tilton who became the main inspiration for Brother Love.
Hogan was on sabbatical when the show debuted. Hogan said when he saw Bruce on TV he said he hated it because Brother Love got so much heat and therefore he didn’t know how to work with it.
Andre the Giant didn’t like working with Brother Love. He couldn’t make the differentiation between Bruce and BL. Andre didn’t talk to Bruce when he was in Brother Love gimmick.
Prior to Summerslam ’88, Andre was scheduled to be on the Brother Love show. Bruce spoke to McMahon about Andre’s issues with BL. McMahon set up a meeting with Andre and Bruce (wearing the Brother Love suit without makeup). Andre just couldn’t understand the Brother Love character; Andre liked Bruce but not Bruce.
Hogan also enjoyed working with Brother Love once their first segment got underway despite Hogan’s earlier hesitation.
Summerslam 1988 – the 3rd PPV where the Brother Love Show was supposed to host Jessica Hahn (part of a televangelist scandal with Jim Baker). This fell through, the next idea was to debut Ric Flair. McMahon eventually realized that Flair wasn’t going to do the deal so the WWE were left without a guest. Eventually they slotted Hacksaw Jim Duggan into the segment.
The Summerslam 1988 Brother Love segment was Bruce’s first ever live performance. The segment also got special light treatment which was rare in those days.
The Brother Love Show was eventually bumped up onto Superstars of Wrestling. McMahon trusted Bruce with the character more; the segments also became more long winded.
Memorable segments
The Show also was now being used to set up angles, like Bossman and Hogan (see previous podcast).
Hogan was always going to be the 1st wrestler to put his hands on BL. This was built up over a period to a culmination at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Bruce thought this was the pinnacle for the character.
WrestleMania 5 Brother Love was on a special Piper’s Pit segment. Jessica Hahn was again discussed for the segment. Eventually the Brother Love show was cancelled for WM5, instead McMahon opted for a Piper’s Pit with Morton Downey Junior and BL. Bruce was then instructed to do a dry run with Piper to see how they worked together.
The underwear and diaper that Brother Love had to wear was chosen by Jimmy Hart.
The WM5 segment between Piper and Morton Downey went completely off script and didn’t really work in Bruce’s opinion.
The Hogan and Earthquake segment – Bruce believed that this segment made Earthquake’s career.
Jake and Rick Martel “blinding with arrogance” segment – Martel was limited in his promos so Brother Love was there to help the segment get over. During the feud Brother Love took the DDT, Bruce thought that it was an easy bump to take if you listened to Jake.
Ultimate Warrior and Sherri skit – Warrior putting Brother Love in a dress, although Bruce didn’t like working with Warrior he thought it was a memorable skit even though Bruce felt that Warrior rushed it.
Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard
Preamble
Big Boss Man episode – mixed feedback from listeners, so at least they are being honest.
The controversy on the Dave Meltzer (DM) comment – Bruce said that DM likes to complain and he reiterated the blading story from last week. Bruce wondered how DM feels now that an accusation is being made about him. The DM and Bruce feud has become a little tiresome. The story is very much rumor and innuendo that DM was involved at all so Bruce changed his tune somewhat from last week.
Bruce called DM a “gossip monger.”
Conrad mentioned the Million Dollar Man episode on the network; folks if you have heard the podcast version, the network version did not add anything new.
Conrad does say that they have some old footage of Bruce going over the Million Dollar Man segment scenes, next network episode will be Roddy Piper.
The pair congratulated each other for getting to 100 episodes. They have had quite a run.
Royal Rumble 1992 will be a bonus show.
Background
Bruce came over to WWE in 1987 to work behind the scenes publishing the television and by 1988 all the WWE TV syndication.
In 1988 he moved to the creative areas working with Pat and McMahon and he eventually pitched the Brother Love idea.
Bruce’s motivation for Brother Love was the tent revivals where the evangelists would present. Bruce would watch as a child behind the tent and was mesmerised by how these evangelists could captivate an audience.
Bruce wasn’t a huge fan of organized religion. Jimmy Swaggart was one of these top evangelists back in the day; Bruce also mentioned Jim Baker and Robert Titlton. It was Tilton who became the main inspiration for Brother Love.
- Tilton was the most entertaining evangelist in Bruce’s opinion.
- Bruce was working mid-south with Eddie Gilbert and stayed at a Comfort Inn, where on Sunday nights the only show on TV were the evangelists. Bruce and Eddie would take notes for promos.
- Bruce was fascinated as to how the poor would pledge to these evangelists because they had so much faith in them.
- Bruce would travel with McMahon and Pat and they would go into their evangelists’ character. From here Bruce did a “what if?” with McMahon regarding the Brother Love character.
- Bruce said it was difficult pitching his own character as it may come across as selfish. McMahon originally wanted someone else to do the Brother Love character; Bruce didn’t have the “face” for it.
- Bruce already had the look of Brother Love in his head (the hair, jewelry and glasses). Bruce waited and pitched himself as Brother Love again. McMahon rejected it and this annoyed Bruce.
- Pat and Alfred Hayes and Heenan, Savage and DiBiase were pitched the idea after McMahon originally rejected it. Heenan and Savage were supportive of it; Pat didn’t see Bruce doing the character.
- There were no other suggestions for anyone else to play the character.
- Bruce decided he would show McMahon he could do the idea and put on the full Brother Love garb.
- Bruce walked in to McMahon’s office as Brother Love. Bruce was wearing just the hair slicked back and glasses, no white suit or paint.
- Bruce went into a sermon in the middle of Vince’s meeting. Bruce replaced religion with love.
- Bruce walked right out of the meeting after the promo and back to his own offices. McMahon left a message to call him back. McMahon agreed to take a look at the Brother Love character on camera.
- McMahon agreed to produce the segment and told Bruce to wear makeup. Upon watching the promo after on camera, Bruce realised that Vince told the makeup lady to put Bruce in red make-up.
- Bruce thought the makeup made Brother Love look like even more of a phony.
- McMahon gave Brother Love an allowance to have expensive custom made suits. Bruce saw an evangelist with a white suit on TV and went with the idea.
- Pat saw the character for the first time in full regalia at television. Pat supported it and was on board. McMahon worked on the nuances and detail of the character.
Hogan was on sabbatical when the show debuted. Hogan said when he saw Bruce on TV he said he hated it because Brother Love got so much heat and therefore he didn’t know how to work with it.
Andre the Giant didn’t like working with Brother Love. He couldn’t make the differentiation between Bruce and BL. Andre didn’t talk to Bruce when he was in Brother Love gimmick.
Prior to Summerslam ’88, Andre was scheduled to be on the Brother Love show. Bruce spoke to McMahon about Andre’s issues with BL. McMahon set up a meeting with Andre and Bruce (wearing the Brother Love suit without makeup). Andre just couldn’t understand the Brother Love character; Andre liked Bruce but not Bruce.
Hogan also enjoyed working with Brother Love once their first segment got underway despite Hogan’s earlier hesitation.
Summerslam 1988 – the 3rd PPV where the Brother Love Show was supposed to host Jessica Hahn (part of a televangelist scandal with Jim Baker). This fell through, the next idea was to debut Ric Flair. McMahon eventually realized that Flair wasn’t going to do the deal so the WWE were left without a guest. Eventually they slotted Hacksaw Jim Duggan into the segment.
The Summerslam 1988 Brother Love segment was Bruce’s first ever live performance. The segment also got special light treatment which was rare in those days.
The Brother Love Show was eventually bumped up onto Superstars of Wrestling. McMahon trusted Bruce with the character more; the segments also became more long winded.
Memorable segments
The Show also was now being used to set up angles, like Bossman and Hogan (see previous podcast).
Hogan was always going to be the 1st wrestler to put his hands on BL. This was built up over a period to a culmination at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Bruce thought this was the pinnacle for the character.
WrestleMania 5 Brother Love was on a special Piper’s Pit segment. Jessica Hahn was again discussed for the segment. Eventually the Brother Love show was cancelled for WM5, instead McMahon opted for a Piper’s Pit with Morton Downey Junior and BL. Bruce was then instructed to do a dry run with Piper to see how they worked together.
The underwear and diaper that Brother Love had to wear was chosen by Jimmy Hart.
The WM5 segment between Piper and Morton Downey went completely off script and didn’t really work in Bruce’s opinion.
The Hogan and Earthquake segment – Bruce believed that this segment made Earthquake’s career.
Jake and Rick Martel “blinding with arrogance” segment – Martel was limited in his promos so Brother Love was there to help the segment get over. During the feud Brother Love took the DDT, Bruce thought that it was an easy bump to take if you listened to Jake.
Ultimate Warrior and Sherri skit – Warrior putting Brother Love in a dress, although Bruce didn’t like working with Warrior he thought it was a memorable skit even though Bruce felt that Warrior rushed it.