Questions for Seth Mates & Chris Gough

[Deleted]

Next week we are reviewing the Oct 21, 2002 edition of 'Raw' featuring in the infamous Katie Vick angle with Triple H at the funeral home.

To celebrate this landmark episode we will be joined by TWO former WWE creative team members from that time period with Seth Mates and Chris Gough joining us.

Leave your feedback to the show and any questions for Seth and Chris regarding the Katie Vick angle and other angles around this time period from 2002 and catch the show next Wednesday

[Milky]

Hi Seth and Chris,

As I understand it, the Katie Vick character was created with developmental talent Scott Vick in mind. I was just curious if you knew of any plans going forward with Scott? Presumably he was set to debut and I just wondered how the story was supposed to unfold going forward.

[Danny Hernandez]

Was there a chance that TNN will get pissy with WWE once again like they did after HLA issue? Really, I wish with all my being they would either pull the plug, issue some sort of punnishment, or just warn WWE to never let anything like that ever happen again. I'd love for them to stick itto Vince, because maybe then, it would finally make him stop and think, you know, for at least a second.

Were there any talks from TNN about fans calling the network to get the show they watch religously yanked off the air?

[Louis from Montréal]

If this kind of angle (Katie Vick) can get the go-a-head from Vince, do you know of any pitches that were similar that did not get the thumbs up? Has Vince ever been behind an idea that everyone else thought was a bad idea? Has Vince ever been vetoed? Or if he gets an idea in his head, are we doomed to see it on TV?

And finally, would this shirt have sold back in 2002?

From: www.kayfabenews.com/kane-designs-i-dig-dead-chicks-t-shirt/

[stormiewoods]

I personally was at this show and let me say I was traumatized. Even though I couldn't see the titan tron just the grunts from HHH and the creaking of the casket sent shivers down my spine. I've never gone gone on youtube to see this show as I don't want to relive Katie Vick especially that segment. Highlight of my night was seeing Lita even though she was still out with her neck injury.

[Alexander Rios]

Alexander Rios

I'll be the first to admit, I have a very immature, sophomoric sense of humor, but even I was just disturbed by the whole Katie Vick thing...if this was a way to bring up developmental talent Soctt Vick at the time, it failed on so many levels...Triple H dry humping a mannequin in a coffin in a Kane mask was just disturbing...and then on Smackdown you had Undertaker's ex-girlfriend from the 90s in that program with Brock Lesnar and the broken hand? I mean what was the end game here? was Kane supposed to come out as the world champion, a more sympathetic babyface, Triple H a more sinister heel? cause if you ask me he was doing this kind of stuff back in 2000...

[J Donovan]

Jamie Donovan

While obviously someone had to pitch this angle to Vince, I have to assume that some poor writer had to explain to Hunter and Kane what the plans for the angle were as well. Did either of you have to go to Glenn Jacobs or Paul Levesque and lay this out for them, or know the writer who did and have any idea what their personal reactions were? And in general, how do the wrestlers respond when they are told they are to take part in somewhat tasteless or embarrassing angles?

[Andrew Sheehy]

Was Vince Russo the mastermind of this god-awful angle?

[Gee Hall]

A question for either gentleman, let's talk about positives (instead of just focusing on the negatives).

What was one or more of the story lines you pitched, or had a significant involvement with, that DID make TV/PPV that you are proud of? Or at least you feel contributed positively to character development during your run with the company?

[toron]

This is about a year later, but if they were around...

-What was the planning behind removing Kane's mask? Did they decide the mask had run its course and it was time to try and evolve the character, or was it some form of short-term, hot-shot booking, and they just decided to pull the trigger? And more importantly (from a personal standpoint), I'm curious as to why the decision was made to have Kane come out the week after losing his mask (and from then on) with no stuff on his face after having him wear black make-up or something to cover up his "hideousness" after initially removing the mask? I understand this is a loop-hole and something they may have had to have gotten rid of in time, anyway, but was their any talk about why they decided to drop it after just 1 week? Or was this barely even acknowledged?

-And On the Smackdown side (this was also about a year later), what was the decision behind turning Brock Lesnar into a cowardly heel after turning him heel for the 2nd time? (In the latter half of '03). And also, partially correlated, why was the decision made to pair Zack Gowen and Brock Lesnar (the current heavyweight champ) together for a brief run? I remember this storyline furthering the perception of Lesnar looking 'weak', but why was the decision made to book Gowen at the very top of the card, as opposed to somewhere lower?

[mrkennedy]

(No questions from me for the guys)

Apart from the silly stupid shit, this was an average episode of RAW.

Although this episode did make me laugh at several points such as:

• The Gaylord Entertainment Center!
  
  
• JR talking about spunk and necrophilia during matches and also proclaiming to love cleavage.
  
  
• King's comment on Hulk Hogan being a Hulkamaniac and Kane being a Necrophiliac!
  
  
• Kane arriving at the arena in a car like a normal person. He then grabs a gym bag out of the car when he is already wearing his ring gear and mask! Apart from that, we now know Kane cruises around in his mask and tights.
  
  
• Jericho basically promising Trish in a promo to fill her with his jizz.
  
  
• HBK putting special effort into trolling people by travelling around in a wheelchair backstage just so that he could jump out of it later.
  
  
• The biggest laugh out loud moment was saved for the very end when Kane basically cut a promo threatening gay necro-rape to a man he just kidnapped.
  

I couldn't help but make several observations throughout the show such as:

• How young Ric Flair looked 10 years ago compared to today! He has aged A LOT in the past 10 years. I guess that's what a few divorces does to a man!
  
  
• Snow and Dreamer have a backstage dispute. So just like any other normal people, they settle their differences very specifically by booking their own Singapore Cane match. I guess Bischoff didn't mind the talent booking their own matches!
  
  
• The cameraman being more interested in Stacy's shoelace and zooming into it instead of shooting the match.
  
  
• The Hurricane done the same thing as Kane did, he pulled up in a car and came out wearing his Super Hero gear. I thought he could fly, why is he driving?
  

Overall, this RAW was a very average show but it gets points for being so ridiculous it was entertaining for a moment or two. 4/10.

[brownlisted]

Not sure where to post this.. but here' a crap attempt at an image for this R-A-W