Sartaj Singh
Netflix’s ‘Mr. McMahon’ introduces a range of individuals centered around the WWE and its various highs and lows. Among those firmly behind the controversial figure of Vince McMahon is his right-hand man, Bruce Prichard. A long-time employee and confidant of McMahon, Prichard provided an insider perspective on various issues threatening the organization through the years. He remained largely sympathetic toward the McMahon and his wrestling empire, furbishing interesting details about each challenge he faced. Prichard’s camaraderie with the WWE founder and his long history with the wrestling world make him an intriguing personality to follow up with further.
Bruce Prichard Has Worked in Wrestling Entertainment His Entire Life
Hailing from El Paso, Texas, Bruce Prichard began working in wrestling by putting up posters at the tender age of 10 years old. He was hired by Vince McMahon in 1987 and soon made his debut in the ring as Brother Love, a character inspired by televangelist Robert Tilton. Prichard’s on-stage persona introduced the Undertaker as his manager, but the Texan’s true contributions lay behind the scenes. Brother Love was an unpopular character and soon retired, but Prichard remained an integral part of the creative process as a writer.
However, Prichard’s career wasn’t without its bumps along the way, and he was let go multiple times over disagreements with fellow staff members in 1991 and again in 2008. He was brought on board most recently in 2019 with much greater power than ever before. In October 2019, he was named Executive Director of Friday Night SmackDown and answered directly to Vince McMahon. During this time, he reportedly gained the chairman’s greatest trust and became his right-hand man. His increasing influence was reflected in his promotion in the following year as the executive director of Raw, making him the most powerful person in the WWE outside of the McMahons. Prichard oversees the creative development behind Friday Night SmackDown as well as RAW, taking over from Eric Bischoff.
Bruce Prichard Chronicles Wrestling History Through His Podcast
Since his return to the WWE, Bruce Prichard has become a creative mastermind for the organization with over 40 years of experience in the field, second only to Vince McMahon. The executive director seems to live and breathe wrestling and has started the ‘Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard’ podcast alongside Conrad Thompson. Earlier in an audio format, the podcast’s popularity saw it upgraded to video in 2018 with support from the WWE. Through it, Prichard gives context and commentary on the explosion of wrestling in the ’80s. His insights into the Golden Age of Wrestling have become even more popular since the release of ‘The Iron Claw,’ drawing new fans to know more about the era.
The podcast also offers insights into the internal workings of the WWE in contemporary times. “Well, it’s gotten bigger, it’s gotten more sophisticated,” explained Bruce Prichard in an episode of the podcast. “When Gorilla (Monsoon) did Gorilla, it was a table at the entrance with a monitor and a headset,” he said. “Gorilla told talent when to go, told them what they did wrong on the way back, and gave time cues, and that was it. Nowadays, Gorilla is a place where it’s the last bastion before anybody goes through the curtain. It’s a place where everyone can congregate, get together, and go over last-minute details.”
Despite his increased responsibilities within the WWE, the 61-year-old still regularly uploads insightful podcast episodes. When reflecting on his years in the wrestling business, Prichard has confessed that he has had a few regrets creatively. The WWE has taken an approach of trashing ideas that don’t seem to gain popularity and axing them early to cut their losses. While the producer agrees with the pragmatism of the approach, he regrets not having seen some ideas through till the end. He wishes he could have given them the opportunity to fail and redirect them towards success.
Bruce Prichard’s Family is Steeped in Wrestling Culture
Much like Bruce Prichard himself, his family has been heavily involved with the world of wrestling entertainment. Among his four brothers, Tom Prichard is a retired professional wrestler known as Dr. Tom Prichard inside the ring. After his long wrestling career, Tom trained prominent wrestlers like Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, Mark Henry, Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, and Dolph Ziggler among others.
Bruce Prichard has two children: his son Kane, who he named after the popular wrestler, and his daughter, Amber. The young woman has also taken an interest in wrestling and won a wrestling tournament in 2017, making her father very proud. Kane, on the other hand, is drawn toward football and has appeared in various WWE episodes in minor roles. In 2012, Bruce Prichard had two heart attacks but seems to have stabilized his health since.
Kane Prichard and @RicFlairNatrBoy wooooo. @HeyHeyItsConrad pic.twitter.com/ggFNfxPRfI
— Bruce Prichard (@bruceprichard) June 19, 2016
When recently asked on his podcast about the sexual assault allegations against Vince McMahon, Bruce Prichard refused to comment. He also shared his views on an earlier cut of the Netflix docu-series ‘Mr. McMahon,’ and was not too thrilled about it. “Thought (it) sucked,” he said. “I didn’t think it was balanced at all. I thought it was a gotcha piece. I thought it was portrayed as a gotcha piece. It was all about, ‘How can we make Vince look back? Let’s make him look shitty here, let’s make him look shitty there.’ I’m close to it. I live it. It’s personal to me.” He believes that the docu-series didn’t show the human side of Vince McMahon nearly enough. He then told the story of McMahon saving his wife’s life during her battle with cancer, which made it into the final cut.
Read More: Where Are Vince McMahon’s Kids Now?
