Freddie Prinze Jr Was Once Going To Be Head Writer Of WWE's SmackDown

Freddie Prinze Jr is opening up about his time with the WWE, where he was once considered to be the head writer of SmackDown.

Turns out that he 44-year-old actor worked with the pro wrestling organization from 2008 to 2009, as part of the creative staff, and then returned in 2010-2012 and was a producer and director for the programs.

Talking in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Freddie detailed his career at WWE and his thoughts about the future of pro wrestling as well.

“I was on the jet with Vince [McMahon] for every episode. I made every live show; I just didn’t go overseas. That was it and it would drive him nuts, but I was there all the time,” he shared. “I saw people’s careers get made and destroyed on a whim. I would fight sometimes and Vince would laugh!”

Freddie also revealed that he wasn’t actually paid for his positions at the company, instead, “I took stock. So, my whole salary was stock and we just sold it last year.”

“It was a lot and I got it at nothing because it was nothing in ’09 or 2010. But I believed in what I was doing at the time and I believed in the company,” he says. “I saw them selling stock because he was purchasing the XFL at the time. So, I thought they were getting ready to sell the company….I sold all my stock and cashed out. Then, I just kind of sat back and waited.”

Click inside to find out why Freddie Prinze Jr left his career at the WWE…

Freddie left the company in 2012 and his reason for departing was because of what Stone Cold Steve Austin said on a show called Tough Enough.

“There was this show called Tough Enough and they tried to bring it back. Stone Cold was the judge. There was a mom that wanted to be a wrestler and she said she was doing it for her kids. Steve Austin said, ‘That’s bulls***.’ He said, ‘You know how many times I won Father of the Year?’ He put a goose egg up,” he recalled.

“I was watching that show in the writer’s room. I stood up and I walked to Gorilla. I gave Vince my two weeks and I said, ‘I’m trying to win Father of the Year, man, I can’t work here anymore,’” he shared. “[Vince then] said, ‘What? Talk to me after the show.’ I talked to Stephanie after the show. He got back into the limo and was flying back to Stamford and I was flying back to LA.”

“I let her know and she was like, ‘Man, we were about to give you SmackDown. You were going to be the Head Writer, so I can’t believe it.’ She was disappointed. I was like, ‘Look, you know I love you guys, but I’m a dad and I’m out.’ That was that. I quit and I never looked back.”

Freddie, who has two children with wife Sarah Michelle Gellar, will next be seen in Peacock’s Punky Brewster reboot.

from Just Jared https://ift.tt/3aprglX