WWF LiveWire (November 9, 1996)

Original Airdate: November 9, 1996

Your Hosts are Dok Hendrix and Jim Ross from the studio

Steve Austin calls in right away to defend showing up at Brian Pillman’s home this past Monday night on RAW. Dok immediately clarifies that USA Network was not at fault for what happened, and that the full responsibility falls on the WWF. He was in full PR mode here, but I’m glad that Austin didn’t have to take some bullshit apologetic tone. That would have killed his gimmick

Clips of Austin showing up at Pillman’s house (with the gun pixelated), followed by Dok again begging off and apologizing. Even if the people on the America Online chat rooms thought it was compelling television. Too bad they didn’t have Spielberg money, they could have just replaced the weapon with a walkie talkie, or something

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Vince McMahon stops by to offer his own apology, and you can almost hear his teeth grinding here. Ross appreciates Vince being ‘man enough’ to admit his ‘huge mistake’

Pillman calls in to apologize for his role in the incident, and yep, sounds totally neutered here. They really sidestepped a huge landmine by keeping Austin above it

Kevin Kelly (who was the broadcaster on the scene that night) stops by to share his perspective, and apparently Pillman’s suburban neighbors were shitting themselves. I imagine Brian like the Tony Soprano of that street, with all the Wonderbread neighbors rolling their eyes every time he says good morning

Lisa from Florida calls in to complain that this is supposed to be a kid’s show, and thinks the promotion has been going ‘downhill’ ever since Goldust came around. I’m guessing she didn’t stick around much longer. Vince agrees with Lisa, thinking things have gone too far. All while smirking, and clearly thinking she’s a rube. Lisa next complains that Bret Hart goes around acting like he’s all ‘holier than thou,’ but he talks shit about Shawn Michaels’s personal life. Did she work at a Dennys?

Craig calls in from Florida, first thanking JR for bringing ‘Razor Ramon’ and ‘Diesel’ back, and noting that they’re ‘better than ever.’ He also asks Vince what kind of actions are going to be taken against Austin for the incident, but Vince dodges the question, and cites Pillman's constitutional rights to defend himself, while noting that the camera just shouldn’t have been there. Someone should have asked him if the wrestlers are independent contractors

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Someone emails in to say that this past Monday’s RAW was the best he’d seen in ‘fifteen years.’ Who can argue with that?

Someone emails in, saying he’s been watching since WrestleMania III, and he’s never been more disgusted than this past Monday

Someone emails in saying that if we get more of this type of programming next week, he’ll never watch WCW again. Vince, of course, is already kind of half defending it, making sure to highlight how many people liked it, while also, of course, saying that it was wrong

Rob calls in from Ohio, complimenting Ross’s play-by-play, and then taking a pretty hilarious shot at Vince about being too predictable, complete with an impression. He even tells McMahon to ‘get off the air’ and calls him a ‘joke.’ Poor Vince looks to be on the verge of snapping on the dude, but holds back, thankfully. He also calls Pillman ‘washed up’

Seth calls in from Pennsylavnia, predicting that Austin will destroy Bret Hart at Survivor Series

In Karate Fighters Holiday Tournament action, this week it's Sycho Sid versus Marlena. Thankfully, they keep Sid strong for his upcoming world title match at Survivor Series by having him go over here

Mr. Perfect is supposed to be here today, but apparently it’s really windy outside, so he can’t make it. Yeah, blew him right down to Atlanta, that wind did

This Monday, WWF Champion Shawn Michaels teams with Sid to challenge for Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith’s WWF Tag Team Title, which Ross thinks will not work out for them, since they can’t coexist. Let’s hope Vince Russo wasn’t listening, he might start feeling discouraged

Justin calls in from New York, and he went to a live event in Buffalo the night before, and can’t believe how big the superstars are in real life

Andrew calls in from Maryland, wondering who Undertaker needs to blow to get a title shot. I believe that would be Gorilla Monsoon

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Ross thinks Rocky could be the standard bearer for the WWF for years to come, just so long as the ‘marketing geniuses’ working here don’t screw him up

From RAW, Jim Ross brings WWF Champion Shawn Michaels and Sycho Sid out for an in-ring interview, complete with podium setup, and everything. Sid, fresh off of his grueling Karate Fighters victory earlier tonight, must be feeling pretty good about Survivor Series. So JR reviews their history, and keeps stirring the pot, while also constantly reminding them that they need to work together as a team against Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart for the tag title next week. And speaking of the tag champions, they (along with Vader) show up just as Shawn and Sid start coming to blows, and manage to put Sid down with a chair before Shawn can save - which, of course, leads to Sid blaming Shawn for the attack since he sees him holding the chair. And also because he's an idiot

Eugene calls in from Florida, and why does everyone who calls in seem to have that same vaguely New York accent? 

BUExperience: Fun episode, with the gun incident fallout, and late stage Survivor Series build up