Felix Upton on November 5, 2023
WWE used to run under Vince McMahon’s thumb on a weekly basis. Everything went through McMahon, and he certainly had a ton of stories about his name. There are countless stories about his strange quirks, and now we have another one to add.
A significant change in WWE programming went down since Vince McMahon’s departure in July 2022, particularly regarding the announce teams. Historically, every WWE announcer has recounted their experiences of Vince McMahon constantly communicating through their earpieces, offering feedback, critiques, or any other form of commentary.
During an appearance on the Kurt Angle Show, WWE announcer Corey Graves talked about the presence of Vince’s voice in his ear, humorously likening it to ‘the voice of God.’
“Nothing rocked me like hearing the voice of Vince McMahon at any given moment. I always joke and say ‘it’s the voice of God in you ears.’”
Corey Graves remembered an incident on Raw during the live Christmas Day broadcast in 2017, where Vince vocally reprimanded him. The reason for Vince’s response was Graves using the phrase ‘Happy Holidays,’ which, apparently, is another term that can be added to Vince’s list of disapproved expressions.
“The first time I ever got ‘Vince’d,’ it was Chicago, Christmas night, we did Monday Night Raw live. This was probably four or five years ago. The Raw commentary desk was on top of the stage by the entrance way, and we would stand up and turn around and do these reverse on-cameras so that the ring and the crowd was in the back. It was a cool set up.
“Michael Cole and I were discussing beforehand. He said, ‘I’m going to do Welcome To Monday Night Raw. Happy Holidays, everybody. You can say Merry Christmas, here’s what we have on tap.’ Okay, great, we’ll throw into some graphics. Cole goes, ‘Welcome everyone to Monday Night Raw. Happy Holidays, everybody!’
“With the speed of lightning, the boss was on the all-call button, which means everybody listening can hear. ‘I SAID MERRY CHRISTMAS! NOT HAPPY HOLIDAYS!’ Meanwhile, I’m going, ‘I was gonna say….’ I’m getting yelled at on camera. I’m like a deer in headlights. I’m going, this is it, I’m getting fired on Christmas night. Of course, we get done, he comes on and goes, ‘Aha, that was good. Thanks guys.’ I was terrified. My heart skips a few beats.
“Somewhere down the line, when I write a book one day, I’ll tell a few other stories that are a little more lighthearted, but definitely not for public consumption. Some of the things that came through the headset over the years.”
Vince McMahon took a huge step back from WWE creative, and he is no longer a part of the situation for the most part. As Triple H leads the company into the future, only time will tell if stories like this will come out about The Game.
We will keep our eye on WWE and the rest of the pro wrestling world, right here at Ringside News. You never know where we will be in 2024, because 2023 was an unpredictable year.
What’s your take on this situation with Vince McMahon? Which saying do you hate hearing? Let us know what you think in the comments section!
November 5, 2023 1:21 pm
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