Freddie Prinze Jr. has been a successful actor for over 20 years now, though he also did some work alongside Vince McMahon in his World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Prinze Jr., 44, had two stints with the WWE, the first from 2008 to 2009 as a member of the creative staff, and then from 2010 to 2012 as a producer and director.
The She’s All That star opened up about his time in the WWE in an interview with Chris Van Vliet, where he revealed he was almost a head writer for SmackDown.
Writer: Freddie Prinze Jr. has been a successful actor for over 20 years now, though he also did some work alongside Vince McMahon in his World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
Prinze Jr. revealed that he didn’t know about being offered head writer on SmackDown until after he gave Vince his two weeks notice, when his daughter, Stephanie McMahon broke the news.
The last straw for Prinze, who has been married to Sarah Michelle Gellar since 2002 and shares two kids with the actress, was a segment on the WWE series Tough Enough, with a comment by Stone Cold Steve Austin.
‘There was this show called Tough Enough and they tried to bring it back. Stone Cold was the judge. There was a mom that wanted to be a wrestler and she said she was doing it for her kids. Steve Austin said, “That’s bulls***.” He said, “You know how many times I won Father of the Year?” He put a goose egg up,’ Prinze Jr. recalled.
SmackDown: Prinze Jr. revealed that he didn’t know about being offered head writer on SmackDown until after he gave Vince his two weeks notice, when his daughter, Stephanie McMahon broke the news
Last straw: The last straw for Prinze, who has been married to Sarah Michelle Gellar since 2002 and shares two kids with the actress, was a segment on the WWE series Tough Enough, with a comment by Stone Cold Steve Austin
‘I was watching that show in the writer’s room. I stood up and I walked to Gorilla (Monsoon). I gave Vince my two weeks and I said, “I’m trying to win Father of the Year, man, I can’t work here anymore,”‘he shared.
Prinze Jr. added that Vince wanted to talk to him after the show, though he ended up talking to his daughter Stephanie.
‘I let her know and she was like, “Man, we were about to give you SmackDown. You were going to be the Head Writer, so I can’t believe it,”‘ Prinze Jr. shared.
Head writer: ‘I let her know and she was like, “Man, we were about to give you SmackDown. You were going to be the Head Writer, so I can’t believe it,”‘ Prinze Jr. shared
‘She was disappointed. I was like, “Look, you know I love you guys, but I’m a dad and I’m out.’ That was that. I quit and I never looked back,”‘ he added.
He added that there are times where he sees a new wrestler and knows he could write for them, though he also said that working in wrestling requires an absolute commitment.
‘In order to work in the wrestling business or be successful, you have to be willing to give everything. It’s commitment, it’s all your time, it’s all your energy,’ he said.
Wrestling business: ‘In order to work in the wrestling business or be successful, you have to be willing to give everything. It’s commitment, it’s all your time, it’s all your energy,’ he said
He added that he would be on the jet with McMahon going to, ‘every live show; I just didn’t go overseas.’
‘I saw people’s careers get made and destroyed on a whim. I would fight sometimes and Vince would laugh!’ Prinze Jr. added.
He also revealed that he took stock in the company as a salary his whole time there, which he just sold last year for ‘a lot.’
‘“It was a lot and I got it at nothing because it was nothing in ’09 or 2010. But I believed in what I was doing at the time and I believed in the company,’ he said.
Jet: He added that he would be on the jet with McMahon going to, ‘every live show; I just didn’t go overseas’