WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff recently conversed about certain aspects of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) functioning, particularly their approach to reacting upon wrestlers’ arrests, in an episode of his podcast, “83 Weeks”. The topic of discussion was also extended to include the 1999 arrest of Konnan.
Key points from the podcast discussion included:
Bischoff discussed WCW’s stance on handling wrestlers’ arrests, declaring there was no standard protocol in place. They gauged each eventuality based on its individual circumstances. The only times WCW intrinsically reacted were if there was a serious injury involved or if stringent laws were violated – cases that might necessitate a public address. Any judgments were typically kept at bay unless there was a conviction.
When posed a question about who would be tasked with addressing the situation with the arrested talent directly, Bischoff responded, “Certainly not me. It might have been Kevin Sullivan or even Terry Taylor. Undoubtedly, it would have been someone from the office though.”
Regarding Konnan’s 1999 arrest, Bischoff was asked whether there was a distinctive protocol given Konnan’s ties with other wrestling promotions. He responded, “No, you’ve got it right. It was a unique situation – both taxing for Konnan and us. Currently, Konnan and I share a great relationship, but there was a time when I was keeping a close watch on him. He was simultaneously dealing with multiple roles and he was handling them exceptionally well.”