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Jimmy Jacobs Addresses Vince McMahon Making Last-Minute Script Changes in WWE, Says They Happened Every Week

December 30, 2018 | Posted by Jeffrey Harris
Vince McMahon WWE Raw 12-17-18, Earl Hebner, Al Snow, Taz Image Credit: WWE

Fightful recently spoke to former WWE creative team member Jimmy Jacobs, who addressed Vince McMahon making last-minute booking decisions in WWE. Below are some highlights.

Jacobs on comparing WWE and Impact Wrestling: “They’re similar in that you have a finite roster and number of stars that matter on that roster. It’s hard to have a match between a couple of guys that aren’t that established. That’s how it’s similar. The difference in Impact is I don’t have to answer to a Vince McMahon or someone with that same personality type. That has its benefits. One of the other good things about Impact is the rules are what we make them. If I want — instead of having a match at Bound For Glory — Allie and Su Yung can go into the underworld and (they) can fight there. What if Su kidnaps Allie’s friend, and Allie has to go there and we get to shoot something in an alternate dimension — we can go there. It’s kind of nice that no matter what happens, these are the six weeks of tv. After week one, we’re not going to drastically change what happens on next week’s TV. In WWE, I was very surprised by how week-to-week it was. How you could try to do something, but generally that would get derailed quite quickly.”

Jacobs on WWE making last-minute script changes: “Day of changes to the show happened every week. Something I agree with that Vince says — the best idea wins. Even if it’s at the eleventh hour. Let’s do that better thing, not ‘we already have this on paper.’ It would vary. Sometimes it would be minimal, sometimes you’d get to the show (and it changes). I remember one time we were in Houston, Texas, and Vince likes to visit his mom when he’s there. He gets to the show late and changed a significant portion of the show. I think this show started with Roman Reigns and he was coming in from the concourse like The Shield used to do, and a writer had to give Roman the script for what’s going to happen minutes before he’s supposed to go out there. That gave me an appreciate for how well that place runs.”