On a recent edition of his “Everybody’s Got A Pod” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. reflected on his time on the WWE creative team in the mid-2000s.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On his overall time in WWE creative: “It’s almost like it’s a time I’d like to forget. The one thing it did do in terms of the way I think is, maybe it made me appreciate what those people do every week. I mean, those writers it’s like, who thinks about all this stuff. And of course, it’s good and bad as far as I’m concerned. It’s kind of like, I’m an old-timer. I’m the last of the old-timer age. A lot of fans say that. And I hear this from a lot of fans, the guys that were in wrestling or in the WWE or whatever from the mid-80s to the mid-90s were the last great era of wrestling. And I have a tendency to agree with that, only because I was part of it. And the difference is, my generation was the last generation that learned our art the old-school way, and the old-school way was basically getting in the ring every night in front of a live crowd and having a match. And of course as a beginner, your opponent is going to be able to lead you. I mean, because we’re talking out there all the time. We’re telling the story, and the story is obviously good versus evil and how that comes out. But it’s nevertheless a story. And we’re talking, we’re communicating all the time. So when they tried to make me part of the creative team, it was very hard for me. Looking back from where I am now, I wonder if it was very hard because of, you know, maybe just me being hard-nosed and ‘Hey, this is the way we did it.’ And I’m from the old school and that’s the way I learned it.”
On being a man of strong faith and working in a company that relied on violence and sexual content for its programming: “Well, there weren’t any reservations, and I thought about that too. And then, one of my friends looked at me and they said, ‘Ted, who did Jesus hang out with?’”
On whether he tried to change the WWE product: “Well, it’s not so creative in terms of — Stephanie was the one that talked me into going ahead and doing this. You know, I tried to tell Stephanie. I said, ‘Steph, that’s not me.’ I said, ‘You tell me the story. You tell me what you want to happen in that ring. And my gift is to go out there and make it happen.’ Now. I mean, look at the acting industry. Look at Hollywood. You know, there are a lot of great actors and they’re great actors. You give them the script, you tell them what you want, bam! And they can do it. But you give them a pen and say, ‘Write the story,’ they’re going to go. ‘That does not compute.’ And that’s me.”
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Ted DiBiase Sr., WWE Hall of Famer, recently discussed his time on the WWE creative team in the mid-2000s on his podcast, “Everybody’s Got A Pod.” DiBiase reflected on his overall experience and the challenges he faced during his time in creative.
DiBiase expressed that his time in WWE creative is something he would like to forget. However, he acknowledged that it made him appreciate the work of the writers who come up with storylines and ideas every week. He recognized the complexity of their job and the effort they put into creating compelling content for the audience.
As an old-timer in the wrestling industry, DiBiase believes that the era from the mid-80s to the mid-90s was the last great era of wrestling. He attributes this to the fact that wrestlers from that time learned their craft in the old-school way, by getting in the ring every night and performing in front of a live crowd. This hands-on experience allowed them to learn from their opponents and communicate effectively to tell a story in the ring. DiBiase found it challenging to transition from being a performer to being part of the creative team because of his attachment to the old-school way of doing things.
One interesting aspect of DiBiase’s career is his strong faith and belief in Christianity. Working in a company that often relied on violence and sexual content for its programming raised questions about how he reconciled his beliefs with his work. However, DiBiase’s response was simple yet profound. He asked himself, “Who did Jesus hang out with?” implying that he believed in being present and making a positive impact regardless of the circumstances.
When asked if he tried to change the WWE product during his time on the creative team, DiBiase explained that he saw himself as an actor who could bring a story to life but not necessarily create it. He compared himself to actors in Hollywood who excel at performing a given script but may struggle when asked to write the story themselves. DiBiase’s strength was in executing the creative vision rather than coming up with it.
Overall, Ted DiBiase Sr.’s reflections on his time in WWE creative shed light on the challenges faced by wrestlers transitioning to behind-the-scenes roles. His experience highlights the contrast between the old-school approach to wrestling and the modern creative process. Despite the difficulties, DiBiase’s faith and commitment to his craft allowed him to navigate these challenges and continue making an impact in the wrestling industry.
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