WWE Outcomes & Leaked scripts

Hematocyte

Q: Kind of an obvious question but do the commentators know the outcomes of matches beforehand?

It's clear they have a script and have to push certain angles or ideas during each match. However sometimes they genuinely sound surprised (often say if a guy gets out of a submission move etc eg

Ambrose v Punk on Smackdown yesterday

). I was wondering is the finish kept from them in order to keep their delivery sounding 'interested' and 'genuine'?

gerTheGreat

Hematocyte wrote: »

Q: Kind of an obvious question but do the commentators know the outcomes of matches beforehand?

It's clear they have a script and have to push certain angles or ideas during each match. However sometimes they genuinely sound surprised (often say if a guy gets out of a submission move etc eg

Ambrose v Punk on Smackdown yesterday

). I was wondering is the finish kept from them in order to keep their delivery sounding 'interested' and 'genuine'?

Jim Ross was part of the booking committee (in the 90s/ early 2000s) that set matches and outcomes in the WWE, while he was on commentary, so he definitely would have know what to expect.

It's likely that most commentators might know what to expect but you'd be hard pushed to find someone to verify it. My suspicious is that they are feed some things but not others. For example, a commentator may be told to expect a serve at the end of a match but may not know what said server will actually be.

jaykhunter

I think the commentary sounds incredibly forced, especially Michael Cole's "he's definitely gonna win! 1-2-aw kickout who can believe it!"-style McMahonisms. WWE's product is scripted in incredible detail, including both in-ear, written bullet points and verbatim what the commentators need to convey, which includes knowing when the finish is coming and how to put it over.

WCW did try out withholding the finish from the commentators to try get a more natural-sounding call but it was horrendous, as it would trip them up and was quickly abandoned.

gnfnrhead

At worst they have bullet points. Stuff like Punk wins, Shield to run in etc. There is a script floating around somewhere and most of the promos are scripted word for word. No way the commentators are left out of the loop.

Charisteas

JR not knowing that he was going to be drafted from Raw to Smackdown. I can imagine Vince backstage hysterically laughing at the look on JR's face.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v61pLxoeCFE

gerTheGreat

Charisteas wrote: »

I can imagine Vince backstage hysterically laughing at the look on JR's face.

Jim Ross has Bells Palsy. He always has the same look on his face

SimonQuinlank

Script from the 25th September 2000 Raw.

Edit-Here's one from 2009,things are far more scripted:

http://i31.tinypic.com/357k6mp.jpg

http://i31.tinypic.com/2zxxkd1.jpg

http://i28.tinypic.com/qq48xx.jpg

gnfnrhead

Hematocyte wrote: »

Q: Kind of an obvious question but do the commentators know the outcomes of matches beforehand?

It's clear they have a script and have to push certain angles or ideas during each match. However sometimes they genuinely sound surprised (often say if a guy gets out of a submission move etc eg

Ambrose v Punk on Smackdown yesterday

). I was wondering is the finish kept from them in order to keep their delivery sounding 'interested' and 'genuine'?

A script from earlier this year:

http://imgur.com/a/zPq5v

Very likely the notes the commentators often have in front of them.

SimonQuinlank

Script from the go home Raw before the Rumble this year

Ridley

SimonQuinlank wrote: »

Script from the go home Raw before the Rumble this year

NOT "TWINKIE TITS" BUT ANOTHER INSULT should be written into every script for anything ever.

Professional Griefer

SimonQuinlank wrote: »

Script from the go home Raw before the Rumble this year

And the rumble itself.

sophya

"Load the Shield under the ring"

Made me laugh, I wonder what size boxes they use for that?

Charisteas

So are these legit then?

Would be awesome if someone uploaded a Raw script an hour or two before the show itself, just so see how much they would scramble to change everything.

buckfasterer

Scripts??? What the fcuk?? You mean to tell me its not real??

beakerjoe

buckfasterer wrote: »

Scripts??? What the fcuk?? You mean to tell me its not real??

Its still real to me dammit! :mad:

SimonQuinlank

Script from Aug 13 2012 Raw

gerrybbadd

They love to have a ballyhoo!

764dak

Hematocyte wrote: »

Q: Kind of an obvious question but do the commentators know the outcomes of matches beforehand?

It's clear they have a script and have to push certain angles or ideas during each match. However sometimes they genuinely sound surprised (often say if a guy gets out of a submission move etc eg

Ambrose v Punk on Smackdown yesterday

). I was wondering is the finish kept from them in order to keep their delivery sounding 'interested' and 'genuine'?

I remember in the early 2000's there was a masked magician special where he told the secrets of magic tricks that magicians don't want you to know. In late 2000's I watched a masked wrestler special. The wrestler wore a mask so as to no reveal his identity. He told many of the secrets of wrestling including the roles of referees and commentators.

He basically said for matches the commentator would give the referee hand signals. The commentator gauges the crowd reaction to the match and if he doesn't like the reaction he might signal to referee for the match to end. The referee would whisper to the wrestlers to end the match soon. This makes sense for lower and midcard matches.

So not only do commentators know the outcome they are sometimes responsible for the ending of matches.

The only problem I have is that in 2003-04(?) the commentators for Raw sat near the stage entrance so they wouldn't be able to signal to refs. This was also the case for WCW Nitro in the 1990's.

Kankan14

You’ll notice most refs have worn an earpiece since the 90’s afaik thats to eliminate hand signals and miscommunication

Charisteas

gerrybbadd wrote: »

They love to have a ballyhoo!

Had never heard that word before I started reading all these scripts. Sounds like a small Irish village. My New Years resolution is to start using that word once a day :cool:

gnfnrhead

764dak wrote: »

I remember in the early 2000's there was a masked magician special where he told the secrets of magic tricks that magicians don't want you to know. In late 2000's I watched a masked wrestler special. The wrestler wore a mask so as to no reveal his identity. He told many of the secrets of wrestling including the roles of referees and commentators.

He basically said for matches the commentator would give the referee hand signals. The commentator gauges the crowd reaction to the match and if he doesn't like the reaction he might signal to referee for the match to end. The referee would whisper to the wrestlers to end the match soon. This makes sense for lower and midcard matches.

So not only do commentators know the outcome they are sometimes responsible for the ending of matches.

The only problem I have is that in 2003-04(?) the commentators for Raw sat near the stage entrance so they wouldn't be able to signal to refs. This was also the case for WCW Nitro in the 1990's.

That's way out dated now. As best I can recall, the whole show was outdated when it aired for the first time. May still happen in some of the small Indy promotions but it hasn't happened in the mainstream promotions in many years.

gerTheGreat

Pretty much interchangeable for a donnybrook.

waltersobchak

764dak wrote: »

I remember in the early 2000's there was a masked magician special where he told the secrets of magic tricks that magicians don't want you to know. In late 2000's I watched a masked wrestler special. The wrestler wore a mask so as to no reveal his identity. He told many of the secrets of wrestling including the roles of referees and commentators.

He basically said for matches the commentator would give the referee hand signals. The commentator gauges the crowd reaction to the match and if he doesn't like the reaction he might signal to referee for the match to end. The referee would whisper to the wrestlers to end the match soon. This makes sense for lower and midcard matches.

So not only do commentators know the outcome they are sometimes responsible for the ending of matches.

The only problem I have is that in 2003-04(?) the commentators for Raw sat near the stage entrance so they wouldn't be able to signal to refs. This was also the case for WCW Nitro in the 1990's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9u8x0Xrj4A

hufpc8w3adnk65

waltersobchak wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9u8x0Xrj4A

I remember watching that years ago! Along with the magic one! Did they ever find out any of the wrestlers involved?

gerTheGreat

Dusty Rhodes was involved. He was interviewed with his face in shadows (or something). He used to do sit down pieces to the camera and talk about the booking parts (or something).

Insect Overlord

I'm pretty sure Dustin Runnels was one of them.

hufpc8w3adnk65

Insect Overlord wrote: »

I'm pretty sure Dustin Runnels was one of them.

Really? In what way? Ill have too watch it all again soon

Endaaaagh

I think Harley Race was in it

B.A._Baracus

Insect Overlord wrote: »

I'm pretty sure Dustin Runnels was one of them.

Dustin Runnels was with WWF at the time :P

The list is:

- Harley Race (the booker)
- Christopher Daniels (slither)
- Pitbull 1
- Pitbull 2
- Mike Modest
- Donovan Morgan
- Del Wilkes/Patriot (Private Pain)
- Brent Albright/Gunner Scott
- Adam Pearce

and the ref was Roland Alexander.

hufpc8w3adnk65

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Dustin Runnels was with WWF at the time :P

The list is:

- Harley Race (the booker)
- Christopher Daniels (slither)
- Pitbull 1
- Pitbull 2
- Mike Modest
- Donovan Morgan
- Del Wilkes/Patriot (Private Pain)
- Brent Albright/Gunner Scott
- Adam Pearce

and the ref was Roland Alexander.

Would they all have been Indy guys at the time bar Harley race?

Tinie

Where do people get these scripts from?

I assume the people who sit behind the commentators can see the scripts during the show though.

gnfnrhead

Tinie wrote: »

Where do people get these scripts from?

I assume the people who sit behind the commentators can see the scripts during the show though.

Occasionally someone will leave one laying around after the show so a crew member or someone would snatch it for themselves.

SimonQuinlank

Paul Bearer tribute show Raw script.

Ridley

I wonder who names these episodes?

FANDANGO DANCER Twirls Out

briany

Wait, are all on screen personalities expected to learn big paragraphs of text when cutting a promo?

rovert

briany wrote: »

Wait, are all on screen personalities expected to learn big paragraphs of text when cutting a promo?

Yes.

One of the reasons Vince Russo first pushed Jeff Jarrett in the WWE during the WWF is that he had a photographic memory.

Machismo Fan

I wouldn't have thought Punk's promos would be as scripted, for some reason I assumed he'd have a little more freedom.

hufpc8w3adnk65

Machismo Fan wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought Punk's promos would be as scripted, for some reason I assumed he'd have a little more freedom.

There's no one saying he wouldn't be involved in writing them with the writers tho

rovert

Machismo Fan wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought Punk's promos would be as scripted, for some reason I assumed he'd have a little more freedom.

Punk and Heyman have a lot freedom as does Jericho. A joke WWE likes to play on new writers is writing a promo for either Jericho or Punk and then have the writer sheepishly walk up and hand them a script for their promo. Which results in either the writer being yelled at or the script being scrunched up in a ball.

gnfnrhead

Machismo Fan wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought Punk's promos would be as scripted, for some reason I assumed he'd have a little more freedom.

He probably has to sign off on it. I doubt he is given a mic and told there you go. If that was the case, pretty soon everyone would want the same.

briany

rovert wrote: »

Yes.

One of the reasons Vince Russo first pushed Jeff Jarrett in the WWE during the WWF is that he had a photographic memory.

Doesn't that mean that you'll eventually have an entire generation of stars who are woefully underskilled in the art of improvising a promo? What happens if they go totally blank on their lines and end up standing there, stuttering like a dufus. What if that happens to a top star?

gnfnrhead

briany wrote: »

Doesn't that mean that you'll eventually have an entire generation of stars who are woefully underskilled in the art of improvising a promo? What happens if they go totally blank on their lines and end up standing there, stuttering like a dufus. What if that happens to a top star?

Think it happened to Michaels on Raw. He didnt seem to know what he was supposed to be saying and then just left without finishing.

J. Marston

briany wrote: »

Doesn't that mean that you'll eventually have an entire generation of stars who are woefully underskilled in the art of improvising a promo? What happens if they go totally blank on their lines and end up standing there, stuttering like a dufus. What if that happens to a top star?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSs-4CVjMiI

The face of the WWE.

briany

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Think it happened to Michaels on Raw. He didnt seem to know what he was supposed to be saying and then just left without finishing.

You'd think Michaels would know how to fake it in order to get to the end.

SimonQuinlank

Mania 29 script.

764dak

Why release scripts though?

gerrybbadd

764dak wrote: »

Why release scripts though?

What resurrect a 4 year old thread?