Mick Foley Discusses The Creative Process During The Attitude Era

Speaking in a new interview, Mick Foley has discussed the creative process which resulted in so many memorable WWE moments during the much-loved Attitude Era.

In recent weeks Foley has been critical of WWE’s creative team, expressing his frustrations after Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole and Ruby Soho joined AEW after leaving the company. In the video posted to his Facebook page, the WWE Hall of Famer said that if he were an active performer he’s unsure whether he could trust WWE creative with his career.

In conversation with Sean Waltman on his Pro Wrestling 4 Life podcast, Foley recalled how the company went about creating stories in the Attitude Era. The Hall of Famer explained that it was a collaborative effort, with Superstars such as himself being very much hands on.

“We had a lot of say, and this isn’t downplaying what Vince [Russo] and Ed [Ferrara] did,”

“They did a great job, but they would bring us ideas, or we’d bring them ideas. We worked together on them. I remember Russo being so down at the WrestleMania party because I think Shawn [Michaels] had browbeat him about looking weak, and then within one night, 24 hours, DX was stronger than ever. I don’t think Russo should have received that browbeating, especially at a post-WrestleMania party, but it just shows we were really hands on with our angles. We would talk with each other. We did promos that felt real because they were real to a large extent.”

“Did Vince use to call you on Wednesday and run everything by you?” Waltman asked Foley. “Russo would call me every week.”

Continuing on, Foley went into more detail about how one of the most famous skit’s in RAW history came together. The infamous hospital segment, featuring himself, Vince McMahon, a clown and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

“I remember him telling me about Yurple The Clown,” Foley revealed. “He’s like, ‘Bro, she’s a party clown.’ I said, ‘So you’re gonna have the shoes?’ He’s like, ‘Bro, she’s got the shoes. She’s got everything.’ The interaction with me and Yurple was 100%. We didn’t go with a script. Nobody gave us a script. All I knew going in was, I’ve got a birthday party clown. The goal is I have to come in happy. Vince [McMahon] has to be relieved it’s me and not Austin, and then my actions have to cause him to throw me out of the room along with Yurple, the birthday party clown, leaving the opening for Steve Austin to hit him with a bedpan under the guise of being a doctor. I never said, ‘can I bring a sock puppet?’ because he surely would have said no. It was just a given that you could try things in that day and age.”

During the conversation, Foley also offered his opinion on what WWE could do to improve their current situation. ‘Mrs Foley’s Baby Boy’ said that an increased focus on continuity would make a big difference.

H/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.