WWE rules for announcers include not saying ‘grandaddy of them all’
If you are interested in becoming a WWE television broadcaster at some point in the future, we have some tips for you that could give you a leg up on the rest of the competition.
On Tuesday, a set of rules and notes that was supposedly distributed to WWE commentators about five years ago was posted on Reddit’s wrestling page. The entire eight pages are entertaining and worth a read, but it’s the memos that come directly from Vince McMahon that will really make you chuckle.
For example, Mr. McMahon wants to stress that announcers should not say “the referee didn’t see it” when an illegal action takes place and goes unnoticed. He believes this “makes the product feel cheap, like we’re in grade school.” Instead, Vince would like announcers to say the referee’s vision was “impaired” or “blocked.”
McMahon also doesn’t want to hear announcers referring to WrestleMania as the “grandaddy of them all” because it makes the event feel “old.” Also, don’t call the talent “pro wrestlers.” They’re either “superstars, stars or athletes.”
Many of the tips and rules are standard for any broadcasting job, but the amount of detail shows how particular McMahon can be about his product. As we have seen from examples like this over the years, Mr. McMahon can be ruthless. We’d hate to see an announcer get on his bad side by not doing his or her homework.
H/T Deadspin
