If you're looking for a job as a WWE Intern, take a look at some of these tips from someone that's been in the hallowed halls of the Titan Towers.
From 2008-2010 I worked as an intern/freelancer for WWE. It was by far one of the best experiences of my professional career. This article is filled with anecdotes, observations and stories that I collected from my brief tenure with the company. For those who are looking for dirty laundry, juicy rumors, or insider secrets, I unfortunately don't have them in this article. Warning, there are some things in this article that are going to come off as a bit mark-esque, but c'mon, if you experienced half of the stuff I did, you'd be more than excited to tell your stories.
11. Don’t Tell Linda McMahon Your Opinion On The Brand Extension On Day One
It was my first day working at Titan Towers and as part of our orientation, we had a brief meeting with Linda McMahon. We introduced ourselves, she asked us questions, yadda yadda yadda--you know, the typical intern stuff except with a person I actually cared to hear speak. We were given the opportunity to ask questions, and while most of the other interns asked pretty generic questions--I, the only wrestling fan among the bunch decided to ask about the acquisition of WCW and the brand extension; I wanted to know whether or not they were seeing a true increase in building wrestlers by having Raw and Smackdown be exclusive entities. Whereas now, we see the Raw Supershow integrating talents from other brands to keep things fresh, this was still something that was explored on occasion at the time, but not at the frequency it is now. As a fan, it didn't make any sense to me.
It didn't go well. It's not that I got a bad reaction out of Linda, it was more just questioning the decisions made by her family members as it relates to their product. Oh well!
10. Throw The Mark Out The Door
It's important to leave the mark at the door and act like a consummate professional when you're a WWE intern. It's awesome to be able to hang out backstage, roam around Titan Towers and see all the memorabilia and such, but it's also your job and you can't just freak out.
This was something that was stressed to me on several occasions--as no one wants to be hounded for a photo or an autograph while they are prepping for a match. So, anytime a friend asked me to do something like that, I would have to politely turn them down--as you wouldn't walk up to a co-worker and say "Hey Aubrey, I'd love it if you signed your Best of Raw article for my sister for me." Weird? It goes hand in hand with approaching a superstar backstage to do the same thing.
9. Bringing an iPad Backstage Means People Want To Play With It
So, I was one of the first lucky people to get an iPad on launch day. Albeit, I don't use the product anymore, but it was useful for whatever it did. Anywho, I decided to bring my iPad backstage with me to a WWE show, just to take notes and such--it was at that time that I had aspirations to actually continue working for the company in a role that would take me on the road, so I wanted to absorb all that was around. So, low and behold it caught a lot of attention--mainly from the Superstars. John Cena, Mark Henry and The Big Show all used my iPad (although for Show, it looked like an iPod Touch was in his hands). I had downloaded a Chopper HD, and apparently Mark Henry and The Big Show thought it was an absolute blast. Not really advice I can pass on to the next class of interns, but a funny story nonetheless.
8. Eat A Meal With A Superstar, At Least Once
One thing that was kind of frowned upon as I said before was interacting with the Superstars backstage--just because they don't want to be bothered and it's very much a little fraternity as most people already know. But I tend to say screw the rules, you only live once. So, I had an opportunity to sit in on a meal with John Morrison--among others, but I really got a feel for his career progression--from going to school for Radio,Television and Film, then trying out for Tough Enough, and to getting where he was at that point in his career. I was able to not only pick his brain, but ask some life advice questions for a wondering college student. Same thing with former Spanish announcer Hugo Savinovich. I asked him questions--how he started out, etc. A lot of the information I got, particularly from Jimmy Hart, who I'll talk about a little later, was not only sound advice career wise, but for life as well.
7. Just Because You Washed The Boogeyman’s Worms, Doesn’t Mean They Are Going To Actually Use
I was working with the props guys at a Smackdown show and I was awarded the privilege of washing around 10 buckets of worms for the Boogeyman to throw down his gullet in his match later that night. As I'm sure many of you read from the dirt sheets, things on the shows can change in an instant. So, after spending about an hour in the bathroom of the arena washing worm after worm after worm, we find out that the match had been scrapped that night. The crew offered me the chance to take the worms home that night - I politely declined.
6. Try Not To Block Stephanie McMahon In The Parking Garage of Titan Towers
This might not exactly an exciting story, but it was a bit of a nerve racking experience, at least at the time. I was leaving Titan Towers after a day's work selecting photos for a project WWE was working on with a certain toy manufacturer - really interesting stuff. So, I go to leave Titan Towers and I unwittingly pull behind a vehicle that was occupied by none other than Stephanie McMahon. We played that awkward musical vehicle in which I try to back up, and then she adjusts the angle of her car, and I try to go around but to no avail. Finally I say "screw it," put my car in park and let the bigger car move along. Certainly not worth getting into an accident with one of the higher-ups in the company your interning with - let alone a McMahon.
5. The WWE Production Crew Are The Unsung Heroes Of Your Favorite Shows
I'm not sure how many people realize this, but WWE's production crew is by far the hardest working team in show business: being on the road five or so days out of the week, flying around the country, driving from arena to arena, building the set, taping the show, breaking it down and moving onto the next place. Whether it's the pyrotechnics team, the camera crew, the production team, the local unions or the runners, there is so much that goes into making the show go off without a hitch that until the E:60 coverage of a WWE show, few people knew. The next time you're watching Raw, think about the man hours it takes to make the set, control the music and the lights, build the ring--not to mention broadcasting the show.
4. Being Jimmy Hart’s Personal Photographer Is A Fantastic Job
At the Hall of Fame at WrestleMania 25, Jimmy Hart randomly asked me to be his personal photographer for the evening. Psh, I didn't mind. Earlier in the day, Jimmy offered me some sound advice that I've used up until this day, so it was a pretty even exchange. In the end, I took some pictured for Jimmy with Shawn Michaels, The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, KoKo B. Ware, Triple H, Gene Okerlund and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. I don't think there's going to be an experience that's going to rival working with such a dynamic and charismatic personality as Jimmy Hart, and it's certainly not a resume builder, but it's a story I like to tell people about.
3. The Great Khali Is Massive--Especially To People Under 5’2
You've seen the guy on TV and know he's massive, but only when you stand toe-to-toe with The Great Khali can you truly feel the absolute presence of the man; it's truly astounding.
My girlfriend is not a wrestling fan (but then again, I don't like Twilight either, but I tolerate it), but she knew who The Great Khali was, and had seen him in the movie Get Smart. One of the shows I was working at was actually taking place near her college and I invited her down to show her what I'd been doing as an intern and show her what a WWE production actually looked like. When we walked into the arena the first person that we ran into was The Great Khali; the girlfriend literally stood frozen in place as she had never seen someone of that stature and size before in her life and stayed frozen for about a full three minute - incredibly awkward, yet priceless.
2. Yes, Some Of The Superstars Are Actually Jerks In Real Life
My first time backstage I made the unfortunate mistake of trying to "take a risk" and tell a particular Superstar how much I appreciated what they did and respected them (this is where my mark persona officially left the building). This particular Superstar brushed it off, snickered and went back to what he was doing. Now, within the past year it's come to light that this particular performer isn't exactly the role model I thought of him in 8th grade (actually quite the antithesis) so it's not that big of a deal. And really, it's not surprising at all--in any workplace, people who are working from the bottom up tend to put a chip on their shoulder as a defense mechanism--and it's kind of the same for a lot of the guys who are still trying to earn their spot. Not that this guy was or anything, but he was just that annoyance that the Internet Wrestling Community has known to admire and love so, very, very much. But I've also been to independent shows and interacted with a few "older" Superstars who thought they were holier than thou--it's really just a mixed bag (and no, it's not The Miz).
1. John Cena Is A Class Act
Whether you cheer him or boo him, know that Cena is a class act. You may dislike John Cena the character, but the man who plays John Cena (better known as John Cena) is the classiest, most dedicated, and appreciative individual I've ever met in a profession. John was not only nice to me, as an intern, but to the production crew and everyone else he encountered. He's respectful, humble and honored to be in the position that he's been put in. How can you dislike a guy who has set the record for the most wish fulfillments for Make-A-Wish and an ambassador for the WWE brand itself? I may not like seeing John Cena the character headlining every PPV card, but I respect John Cena the man for doing all he has done for the WWE Universe and the community.
