On a recent edition of his “What Happened When” podcast, AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone recalled David Arquette winning the WCW World Heavyweight Title in 2000 and the decision to crown Arquette champion.
On the exposure from having David Arquette as WCW World Champion: “We would’ve never had Courtney Cox on our show. We would’ve never had Kurt Russell on our show. Kurt Russell did an appearance on the show where [Arquette] was holding onto the belt and he just walked by and laughed at him. It gave us a lot of exposure.”
On suggesting putting over David Arquette to win the title: “I’m not gonna take complete blame for this, but I was in the conversation. Vince [Russo] had concluded a meeting … And he said, ‘So what do you think of the show?’ I went, ‘It’s okay.’ He says, ‘There anything we should do different?’ I said, ‘No, I think it’s good … [but] there is one thing you might want to consider.’ And he looks at me, and we stared at each other. He says, ‘You’re trying to tell me that maybe we should put Arquette over?’ I went, ‘Well, it certainly would give us a lot of exposure.’ And he said, ‘That’s a pretty good idea.’ So that’s kinda’ how it happened.”
In a recent episode of his podcast, “What Happened When,” AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone discussed the controversial decision to crown actor David Arquette as the WCW World Heavyweight Champion in 2000. Schiavone shed light on the reasoning behind this unexpected move and the impact it had on the wrestling promotion.
Schiavone revealed that one of the main reasons for putting the title on Arquette was the exposure it brought to WCW. He explained that having Arquette as the champion attracted high-profile celebrities to the show, such as Courtney Cox and Kurt Russell. Russell even made an appearance on the program, where he walked by Arquette holding the belt and laughed at him. This exposure helped WCW gain significant attention and publicity.
While Schiavone admitted that he wasn’t solely responsible for the decision, he did play a part in suggesting it during a conversation with WCW head writer Vince Russo. After Russo had concluded a meeting and asked for feedback, Schiavone mentioned that putting Arquette over as the champion could provide a boost in exposure. Russo agreed with the idea, and that’s how the decision was ultimately made.
The move to crown Arquette as the WCW World Heavyweight Champion was met with widespread criticism from wrestling fans and industry insiders. Many argued that it devalued the prestige of the championship and undermined the credibility of professional wrestling. Arquette himself has expressed regret over his involvement in the storyline and acknowledged its negative impact on the industry.
Despite the backlash, the decision to make Arquette champion did generate significant media attention for WCW at the time. It became a talking point in mainstream media outlets and brought wrestling into the spotlight for non-wrestling fans. However, in hindsight, it is widely regarded as a misstep that contributed to the decline of WCW and its eventual demise.
The story of David Arquette winning the WCW World Heavyweight Title remains one of the most controversial moments in professional wrestling history. It serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of prioritizing short-term publicity over long-term credibility in the wrestling industry.