Ex-WWE Writer Discusses RAW Guest Host Era

One of the creative minds behind some of WWE’s best moments shared his thoughts on one of the promotion’s more polarizing long-term gimmicks.

The RAW Guest Host Era was an almost-year-long period that ran from June 2009 to June 2010. It saw random celebrities and other personalities appear as ‘guest hosts’ to interact with WWE superstars and in some cases get involved in matches and storylines.

Some guest hosts were remembered fondly, such as Bob Barker, Hugh Jackman, Shaq, and Mike Tyson. Others had less of a positive impact like Jeremy Piven and Ken Jeong, Cheech and Chong, and Marcus the PSP kid.

And yet, the fact that this period went on for so long is what surprised so many people, including former head WWE writer Brian Gewirtz. Not only was he astonished that this gimmick lasted so long, but he explained why it was created in the first place. Speaking on the NotSam Wrestling podcast, Gewirtz noted that it was created so that RAW could move away from the creative crutch that was the ‘heel authority figure’ trope.

“The whole idea was born out of, how could we just take a break from the heel GM character? That segued into what if it was a different legend every week who was the GM? That’s when to what if it was a different celebrity every week? And then that turned into what if we’re just like Saturday Night Live only better?”

h/t sescoops for the transcription.