Peacockery Pick: WWE Confidential – May 25, 2022

Today I figured I’ll give “WWE Confidential” a try since there’s a few seasons worth on Peacock (and WWE Network internationally). I don’t think I watched it when it originally aired in 2002 and I’m sure it is very much a show that fit better in the time it aired. I didn’t watch much live in 2002, really. Either way, it’s short and doesn’t have matches for me to badly recap. The guys here recap matches well. I leave that to them.

Confidential originally aired on TNN/Spike TV late Saturday nights and was a magazine-style show. It was known for breaking kayfabe at times and being a little more “inside baseball” than other WWE programming.

Let’s jump in and see what Mean Gene has for us on this debut episode!

This week on WWE Confidential, Shawn Michaels reveals all! Trish Stratus takes us home!

Hello everyone, welcome to WWE Confidential. He’s your host, Mean Gene Okerlund. Confidential will take you behind the scenes like never before, using words like controversial and funny.

We start with Shawn Michaels. Shawn redefined the industry for a high-flying athlete. However, he was also out of control and controversy followed him. He was at the center of the most controversial match and tonight, Shawn breaks his silence on what he knew before the Montreal screw job.

Shawn notes that controversy creates everything else. He was given a gift and abused it a bit, so it was cut short. Vince appears to say Shawn did petulant things to drive him up the wall. Shawn says he always had the spotlight on him, good or bad.

Shawn says what was exciting was knocking down the proverbial walls, like being the guy doing things new. He liked taking wresting to a level he hadn’t before. With fans constantly feeding your ego, you don’t have to turn it off.

Gerald Brisco notes he had a great talent but was very difficult to work with. Shawn says he was living the life of Ric Flair, which seems bad but he’s not selling Superkick Wings or HBK Energy Drink.

Still to come: Shawn talks about Bret’s last match.

It’s time to come clean…. Fantasizing about being our favorite WWE superstar. We see clips of fans emulating their favorite superstars. We focus on a Goldust (7/10).

Gene declares Rob Van Dam the Picasso of the ring. We smash cut to RVD who tells the story of Baba telling him to wear something to stand out. Joe Holland met RVD and was asked to spray paint an outfit and it worked. From here on, it was fate. Joe’s favorite is the outfit that had bloody bones around it.

Up next, Trish Stratus shows us where she sleeps!

This portion of Confidential is brought to you by Stacker 2! By Greyhound! And by Trust, the anti-drug.

Mean Gene has a quick question for you: “Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go home with Trish Stratus?” We see her kitchen where she mostly cooks on a Foreman grill. She’s just like me in 202! Lots of light and lots of fake fruit. She has a relaxing couch for all her friends and displays her WWE DVD collection. Next is her office, where she responds to fans and has the WWE book collection along with her Women’s Title.

Her first guest room is modeled after a room she stayed at in a Hilton. She has a jungle room as well, but now we head into her bedroom. Her closet is bigger than my house. It has her outfit collection as well as her Barbie collection. Her gym has all her fitness covers on the wall. She has a bar where she gets a shot glass every town she visits. There’s also a game room with foosball and hockey. Her movie room is alphabetized, while her N64 and PS2 are ready to play. She has a wrestling figure collection back when there wasn’t a Trish figure yet.

When we come back, did Shawn know??

And now the WWE Rewind, brought to you by Snickers Cruncher! The boyhood dream has come true as Shawn wins the title at Mania.

We describe the aura of November 1997. Vince tells Bret he can’t pay his promised contract and that Survivor Series would be his last match. Bret however did not want to relinquish the title. And here we are.

Gerald Brisco notes the tension in the air. Shawn says it was eerie and Bret didn’t come in until late. Vince says he was troubled and anxious all day.

We see clips from the match. Gerald says there were all around Gorilla, while Owen and Bulldog had also come up there. The Sharpshooter goes on and Earl wins the bell as Shawn scurries out.

We go to the Raw clip of Vince saying there is a time honored tradition of paying respect and Bret did not want to. Earl says he knew ten minutes before it happened and then flew out into a car and left. Shawn says Vince made the only decision the company could make.

Shawn admits yes, he knew. He was asked to do something by his boss and he did it and he’s not sorry for it. Word gets to Vince that Bret wants to hurt him and Vince says he’ll give him one shot. Vince takes a shot to the temple while Brisco accidentally crunches Vince’s ankle.

When we come back, Lita’s road to recovery!

Gene says the first time saw Lita perform the Litaconrita it amazed him. Unfortunately she did break it while filming the TV show “Dark Angel.”

Lita notes she hurt her neck filming, broke her neck and ruptured discs. Matt Hardy is here with her. Dr. Lloyd Youngblood explains it further to us in doctor terms with a skeleton. She was upset and trying to explain to Steve Austin, who calmed her down and told her to come see his doctor.

Disc and spine damage are the problem, but there is a plan to fix it even better. We see the surgery (blech). Everything went well and Matt says he wants to walk about the zoo with her in twenty years. Well, Matthew…

We wish her well here from Confidential. Up next, Ivory!

Snickers Cruncher presents King of the Ring, coming soon!

Gene’s favorite work of art: the female nude. Of course. Here’s Ivory to talk about breast implants. Ivory recommends getting ones to balance out your body, not to enhance. She has enjoyed having a larger bustline. Well then.

Next week, Shawn Michaels reveals some life-changing conditions. Vince says he doesn’t know if Shawn will ever wrestle again.