In a recent episode of his podcast, “Something To Wrestle”, WWE executive, Bruce Prichard, touched on several topics, including the 2006 arrest of Rob Van Dam (RVD) while he was the WWE Champion, the resurgence of the ECW brand, and more.
Below are some of the podcast’s standout points:
On the 2006 arrest of RVD: “It was embarrassing, it was horrible. Consider the societal changes and where we are now. You can travel to Amsterdam where marijuana is legal. Also, it’s legal in various places in the Caribbean and throughout the United States of America. Places like Las Vegas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York all have legalized marijuana,” Prichard said.
“It’s merely a plant, an herb that when smoked can produce a sense of well-being. It doesn’t cause drunkenness or a hangover…. Rob was known to indulge, everyone knew. He would smoke a joint and unwind.
“The incident, however, was untimely and created negative publicity for both RVD and the company. RVD being pulled over by the police was bound to attract media attention and inevitably became a big deal,” continued Prichard.
On RVD’s response to the incident: “I don’t think Rob grasped the gravity of the situation immediately. He was under the impression that this was a minor issue. It wasn’t until after the event that he understood it was a significant matter that had caused embarrassment and other complications. He had thought that it was just a simple case of paying a fine and moving on with life, which wasn’t the case,” stated Prichard.
On the effect it had on RVD: “I believe it led to a significant trust issue. As a champion of any company, you are essentially the face of that company. Any negative publicity impacts the company’s image. The issue with Rob was that he was not only a key player, but also the company’s champion, and his actions were reflecting poorly on the company,” Prichard concluded.
Check out the podcast episode embedded below to get a more indepth understanding.