In an interview with ESPN’s First Take, WWE Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque talked about various topics, including why this is the right time for WWE: Unreal.
This is what Triple H said, “Well, I think in today’s world with the internet and you know half the fun for our fans, I think sometimes is speculating around what is going on behind the scenes. Anyways, so we decided to let them take a look. We’re not exactly showing you everything and how the magic is is done or how the the you know the tricks are done if you wanted to use a magic reference, but we’re giving you the behind the scenes. We’re showing you what goes into this.”
On a lot of people thinking their job is easy because it’s predetermined:
“A lot of people think it’s just these athletes show up and they put on a show and that’s it and you know it’s all predetermined so it’s easy. It’s not that at all. There’s there’s a million things that go into this and a lot of complex navigating, and it’s a fascinating look. I think for people that are fans, it’ll um it’ll verify why they are fans. For those that aren’t, I think it gives you an interesting look inside of what we do and will probably make them more interested when they see all that goes on behind the scenes to make this show actually come to life.”
On if he took into consideration things that could work against the WWE with the show:
“Absolutely. We all looked at that. We looked at every aspect of it and and the positives and the negative and weighed it out. And you can’t be afraid to do something in life. You can’t be afraid that well, somebody might criticize us. If if we were afraid that people might criticize what we do, we wouldn’t put on a show every week. Um it’s part of what what makes us wonderful in what we do is that you can look at it behind the scenes. You can look at it no different than a sport. You can look at it and say, ‘This coach doesn’t know what he’s doing. I would have done this and I know that would have been better.’ You can think all those things, but seeing what goes into it.”
On how learning more of what goes on behind-the-scenes can increase your respect for the product:
“I think of us a lot as people that weren’t fans of F1 racing see the behind the scenes of everything that goes into it. And it is increased their respect of an industry, their respect of what those athletes go through and and what goes into bringing a race to life. I think this just increases the respect level for what we do. Are there people that are going to criticize? Yes. Are they going to see things out of context or moments in time that they want to criticize and jump on? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, we put on an amazing entertainment program that is seen by millions and millions of people around the globe. This is a look into what everybody behind the scene goes through um to put this show on. it is their life. It is their passion, and we all come at it from that point of view. So, I think at the end of the day, the passion earns respect from our fans and that’s why we’re doing it.”
On building a deeper connection with the fans:
”I think it builds that deeper connection. And I think in a world of transparency now when you have athletes like Ria Ripley who many seem, you know, as this larger than life, never would have a doubt character going through the highs and the lows and the pressure and the doubts, the self-doubts and overcoming those to go out there and perform the way she does. I don’t know how it doesn’t make you appreciate her more as a performer or take you appreciate them more as athletes. I think when you see everything that goes into it, the appreciation level as I mentioned increases because of the passion at which everybody goes at this. Yes, they go through a lot. Um but they do it for the fans. They do it to entertain. They do it because they love what they do, and they’re amazing storytellers at all levels. um not not only verbally but physically in a ring. They we tell stories and we do it better than anybody on the planet in my opinion.”
You can check out Triple H's comments in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
