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WWE boss Triple H nearly got fired over controversial D-Generation X skits-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro
If you’re not down with that, they’ve got two words for ya…
Triple H and Shawn Michaels are now in charge (Picture: WWE)
Triple H has remembered almost getting fired from WWE after USA Network threatened to pull Monday Night Raw off air.
Although he’s now in charge of the company as chief content office, head of creative and leading talent relations, the boss was once part of one of wrestling’s hottest acts – D-Generation X alongside the likes of Chyna and fellow executive Shawn Michaels – during the infamous Attitude Era.
While fans adored the group’s X-rated antics and foul language, its broadcast partner didn’t feel the same way and it led to some tense chats with then-WWE boss Vince McMahon.
Speaking to the SPORTbible Stories podcast, Triple H – real name Paul Levesque – recalled: ‘Vince was getting letters from USA, there’s a very famous skit we did and USA had been on at us for weeks, these guys cannot say that stuff, they cannot do those gestures they have to stop it, we’d go out and do it the next week.
‘Vince would tear us apart, “You guys are gonna get us thrown off the air!” He was p**sed. He wasn’t doing anything about it though. We felt like there was a lot of threatening going on but he’s not doing anything, numbers are starting to tick up a little bit.’
The network ended up writing to WWE insisting that the group had ‘gone too far’, and moved to ban them from using certain words between certain times on air.
‘Vince brought us this letter and – if these things aren’t met, these demands aren’t followed to a tee, you will no longer be on the air on USA Network. They [DX] either get fired or you’re no longer on the air. Vince said “Here it is, you guys have crossed the line, in black and white,”‘ Triple H said.
However, D-X instead asked to be allowed to turn the letter into a comedy skit, which has gone down in WWE history as one of its most famous sketches.
‘We did a presidential podium and the three of us stood there as if Shawn was President and we went through the list of words. They beeped the words we weren’t allowed to say, we apologised for the words and we went through the list, said we will no longer reference our massive genitalia,’ he smirked.
‘Then we got into arguments about what we were allowed to say. It was right at the point Bill Clinton had given the “I did not sleep with that young intern” speech so Shawn said “I did not sleep with that young intern, as a matter of fact I was up all night!” ‘
In response, USA Network sent WWE another note congratulating the company on both the ratings and the ‘hilarious’ response to their original letter.
Now, Triple H and Shawn Michaels find themselves as two of the top executives in the company, shaping its present and future.
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