On a recent edition of his “The Snake Pit” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts discussed his role in WWE in 1996, both behind the scenes and on camera.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On his position in WWE in late 1996: “Helping with creative. And I was doing a lot. I was booking for a while, you know, doing television and stuff and I just didn’t fit in in the office, you know? I’m not an office guy. That and I had no skills with the computer, and everything was done by email then. So that was a bad sign. It told me that I wasn’t going to be there long. But I was there long enough to get my hands on Steve Austin.”
On his creative process: “Yeah. I have a notepad and write stuff down on ideas, interviews, all sorts of crazy s**t.”
On his schedule of wrestling and booking: “Doing both. Getting to the building at a regular time. The next day, I might be flying back to Connecticut. Go to Connecticut for six or seven hours, then go hit a house show. It did [burn him out]. It did. Kicked my ass.”
On eyeing an office job at this time: “Yeah, that’s what I wanted. But pretty quickly, I realized that I wasn’t going to last long in the office because I just didn’t like the atmosphere. I didn’t like what went on.”
On his issues with being in the office: “Yeah, there were a lot of those [groups in the office]. And then you had [Bruce] Prichard. You know, he had [Jim] Cornette and I just didn’t fit in. Yeah, I didn’t hang with those guys. And I guess they thought that I was being an a**hole or something, but I just don’t do that, you know? I didn’t want to play that game.”
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In a recent episode of his podcast “The Snake Pit,” WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts opened up about his role in WWE in 1996, shedding light on his behind-the-scenes work and on-camera appearances. Let’s take a closer look at some of the highlights from the podcast.
During the podcast, Roberts revealed that he was involved in creative work for WWE during that time. He mentioned that he was booking and doing television, but he didn’t feel like he fit in the office environment. Roberts admitted that he lacked computer skills, which was a disadvantage since everything was done through email at that time. He realized that this signified that his time in the office would be short-lived. However, he did mention that he was able to make an impact during his tenure by getting involved with Steve Austin.
When it came to his creative process, Roberts shared that he used a notepad to jot down ideas, interviews, and various other concepts. This showed his dedication to his craft and his commitment to delivering entertaining content.
Roberts also discussed his hectic schedule during that period. He mentioned that he would often have to balance wrestling and booking responsibilities. This meant getting to the venue at a regular time and then flying back to Connecticut the next day for several hours before heading out to a house show. This demanding schedule eventually took a toll on him and left him feeling burnt out.
Despite initially eyeing an office job, Roberts quickly realized that it wasn’t the right fit for him. He didn’t enjoy the atmosphere and didn’t appreciate what went on behind the scenes. He mentioned that there were different groups within the office, including individuals like Bruce Prichard and Jim Cornette, with whom he didn’t connect or hang out. Roberts didn’t want to play any games or engage in any negative dynamics, which may have led some to perceive him as difficult or aloof.
Overall, Jake Roberts’ insights into his time in WWE in 1996 provide a glimpse into the challenges and dynamics of working behind the scenes in the wrestling industry. Despite not finding his place in the office, Roberts was able to leave his mark through his creative contributions and memorable on-camera moments.