Jonathan Coachman says WWE’s reduced house-show schedule has removed an important testing ground for wrestlers and creative ideas, arguing that the heavily criticized Joe Hendry and Danhausen concert segment would never have survived a live-event trial run.
Coachman discussed WWE’s developmental process during an appearance on Developmentally Speaking with Bryan Asbury.
The former WWE broadcaster was emphatic about the value of non-televised live events.
“The other thing that you said is the house shows. I am adamant.”
Coachman rejected the argument that their value should be judged solely through short-term profitability.
“I don’t want to hear from TKO or anybody else, ‘They lose money.’”
“They don’t, if you just make them what they are, which is a house show without bells and whistles.”
Coachman said WWE historically used live events as rehearsals for matches and ideas that would later reach television.
“Let’s say it’s Rock and Austin in the main event on Monday Night Raw. Guess what match you’re going to see on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the house shows?”
“You’re going to see Rock and Austin.”
The purpose was to determine what connected with a crowd and remove what did not.
“So they can figure out what works and put that in, and whatever doesn’t work, you throw it out.”
Coachman applied that philosophy to Hendry and Danhausen’s July 27 concert segment on Raw.
“Can you imagine them trying that Joe Hendry-Danhausen segment at a house show?”
“They would have thrown the whole damn thing out because they would have known that it was terrible.”
Coachman said that type of experimentation was a standard part of WWE’s process during his tenure.
“That’s what we did.”
“To me, you’ve got to have that training.”
Coachman also criticized the repetitive nature of Danhausen’s current presentation while acknowledging that his own WWE character participated in intentionally ridiculous material.
“People compared me, ‘Well, you did a lot of stupid stuff too.’ Yes, I’ll acknowledge that.”
“What we did was funny and it was periodical.”
He believes Danhausen’s act risks becoming predictable without variation.
“It wasn’t every single week in the same, ‘You are cursed,’ and you take the money.”
“Because it’s the same shtick all the time.”
WrestlingHeadlines recently covered Hendry responding to the negative reaction surrounding the Raw segment.
Coachman has previously argued that fewer house shows can also affect wrestlers’ physical conditioning and potentially contribute to injury. His current comments expand that argument to creative development.
WWE continues to run some non-televised live events. Coachman’s criticism concerns the significantly reduced schedule compared with previous eras. His claim that house shows need not lose money is an opinion and was not supported with contemporary WWE financial data in the interview.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Developmentally Speaking, with a h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
