Scripts.

[RoyalRaven]

I know some Wrestlers, I.E CM Punk, don't use scripts for their promo's or backstage scenes. I was wondering do we know any wrestlers that also don't, it seems as though alot of the mic work on WWE is scripted and you can sort of tell.

 

[deathclaw4721]

AJ seems to add her own stuff into her promos.

 

[Leo C]

I think Rock, Cena and HHH don't. Vince probably doesn't as well.

 

[Lockard 23]

I think it's rather impossible to know which promos are scripted and whatnot. I think we can be pretty sure that guys like Rock, Undertaker and Triple H largely have their own input. Rock/Cena probably did too as a feud, but it seemed obvious to me that Rock was holding back to an extent. CM Punk has a lot of creative leeway from what I've heard but most of his promos are scripted, too. He really disliked the creative direction of his feud with Taker at Mania 29, for example. People also thought his "pipebomb" on The Rock back in January was all his own doing but it came out (unless my memory is wrong) that the only part of it that was 100% Punk was the part where he talked about Daniel Bryan having to fake a comedy gimmick for the benefit of amusing certain people backstage (this was my least favorite part of the promo since it, once again, nearly broke kayfabe ON-SCREEN, which is a no no.)

 

[TheShadowSoulja]

It is difficult to tell, as I believed that parts of CM Punk's famous pipebomb promo was scripted, and other parts weren't, same with the pipebomb AJ Lee did a couple of weeks ago. Sometimes WWE just tell someone to say what's on their mind (i.e Punk's Pipebomb. If you watched the "best in the world" video, Punk admitted it was all him and no script) or sometimes WWE tells someone what to say.

 

[JC4Life37]

At some point, you know who you are writing for....by, now, the writers are used to writing for Punk and knowing his likes/dislikes.

Trips (until only recently), Taker, Edge and Rock each only appear sparingly so this current staff has no clue had to write for them (their nuances and such)

Cena, with the exception of trolling (when the crowd boos) seems completely scripted.... but I do believe Vince had a heavier hand in Rock/Cena II story arc


I think Kane cuts incredibly profound promos written by Glenn Jacobs... but I think a dude like Jericho/Miz/Henry and Heyman/Coulter to a lesser extent receive bullet points

 

[Stopspot]

The top guys, Cena, HHH and Punk use bullet points. As well as every wrestler down in NXT. The rest of the main roster use scrips I believe.

But I do think most of the heavily focused guys get a say on their scripts.

 

[victor kwon]

I'm pretty sure only on RARE occasions do they use a full on "script". Lesnar's obvious reading during his Summerslam promo is an example of that.

They're pretty much given what they're supposed to touch on, the way they're supposed to act, probably choice words or phrases they need to throw in there, but other than that, they're all improvising as their character. I mean, it just doesn't make sense to assume they memorize a script for every show. And even if they're given a script, they couldn't possibly be expected to say it word for word.

 

[Dat Kid1]

I think Mark Henry did his own retirement speech and that wasn't done by a writer

 

[CM Punk]

As Leo C said, those 3 just get points and make their own scripts. I think the same thing goes down for the entire NXT roster.

 

[Wacokid27]

I think Mark Henry did his own retirement speech and that wasn't done by a writer

And it was awesome.

But to the OP, all WWE promos are "scripted" to a greater or lesser extent. The amount of input a performer gets into the "script" depends on how trusted they are. It's a pretty well-known "secret" that guys like Punk, Cena, Bryan, and HHH (don't get excited; it's not a comprehensive list, just a few examples) mostly get bullet points a few hours ahead of the show and are expected to push those bullet points, but with little extra input from the writers. Others get more writer input as it's deemed necessary.

By the way, in case y'all hadn't heard, the guys in NXT just operate on a "bullet point, little writer input" strategy so that they learn to craft their own promos, Mick Foley-style.

tunga:

wk