During the latest edition of his “83 Weeks” podcast, Eric Bischoff commented on almost meeting Tony Khan, WWE’s Saudi Arabia shows, and more. You can check out some highlights and audio from the podcast below:
On what his role was as executive director: “The role, as it was originally defined to me, was to oversee the process and oversee the SmackDown brand, not to necessarily be involved in creative other than to oversee the management of it. Also to essentially oversee all of the other elements of the business that had anything to do with SmackDown. So it was a very broad description. Keep in mind it was a new job. It wasn’t a position that had previously existed in WWE. I’m sure a lot of thought went into it, but I think the position is most likely still evolving and being defined.”
On what happened when Eric and Tony Khan both showed up at Tony Schiavone’s birthday roast: “Right at the very beginning of this thing, everybody’s seated. Mark Madden opens up and he goes, ‘Hey, look over there! Tony Khan the money mark! How many executive vice presidents do you have in your company anyway?’ Evidently Tony took exception to that and got up and left. So I could have, I guess, had an opportunity to meet Tony Khan. But Mark Madden f***ed it up for me…and by me telling this story I probably just f***ed it up for myself, but whatever.”
On comparing Collision in Korea to WWE’s Saudi Arabia shows: “The reason they go is purely economic and financial…When we went to North Korea there was relatively speaking no revenue involved at all. There was no economic advantage to it. We didn’t make a bunch of money, unlike WWE, who makes a ton of fucking money [going to Saudi Arabia].”
On his upcoming Qatar Pro Wrestling appearance: “Interestingly enough, the press release came out suggesting that I was going to be there on the fourteenth. That is not the case. But I am supposed to be there on the twenty-third of this month for a press conference, and then I’m going to be at their big event on February twentieth, 2020.”
For what it’s worth, Conrad Thompson says Bischoff’s recollection of the story is false:
For the record, this isn’t accurate. Khan stopped by to celebrate Schaivone’s birthday before his dinner reservation downstairs with MJF, JR, Darby, Kip, Jeff Jones, Janela, Havoc, Excalibur, etc. He left after Hudson’s set not Madden’s. I can confirm: no hard feelings from Khan https://t.co/l41zHgTekW
— Conrad the Mortgage Guy (@HeyHeyItsConrad) November 20, 2019
No disrespect to my pal @EBischoff as this was the talk of the evening until something more interesting happened downstairs. Of course I razzed @MarkMaddenX about “killing the town” but it was always in jest. No one is safe during a Roast and it was great fun for @tonyschiavone24
— Conrad the Mortgage Guy (@HeyHeyItsConrad) November 20, 2019
