Freddie Prinze Jr. once played a big part in WWE’s SmackDown.
The “Scooby Doo” star opened up about his time working for the organization to Chris Van Vilet.
Prinze worked as a writer from 2008 to 2009 and then again from 2010 to 2012 as a producer and director of the programmes.
“I was on the jet with Vince [McMahon] for every episode. I made every live show; I just didn’t go overseas. That was it and it would drive him nuts, but I was there all the time,” he said. “I saw people’s careers get made and destroyed on a whim. I would fight sometimes and Vince would laugh!”
It wasn’t a paid position, instead, Prinze got stock that he sold last year.
Prinze explained, “It was a lot and I got it at nothing because it was nothing in ’09 or 2010. But I believed in what I was doing at the time and I believed in the company. I saw them selling stock because he was purchasing the XFL at the time. So, I thought they were getting ready to sell the company….I sold all my stock and cashed out. Then, I just kind of sat back and waited.”
Prinze, who is married to Sarah Michelle Gellar and shares kids Charlotte, 11, and Rocky, 8, decided to spend more time with his family after a comment from Steve Austin.
“There was this show called ‘Tough Enough’ and they tried to bring it back. Stone Cold was the judge. There was a mom that wanted to be a wrestler and she said she was doing it for her kids. Steve Austin said, ‘That’s bulls***.’ He said, ‘You know how many times I won Father of the Year?’ He put a goose egg up,” Prinze recalled.
“I was watching that show in the writer’s room. I stood up and I walked to Gorilla. I gave Vince my two weeks and I said, ‘I’m trying to win Father of the Year, man, I can’t work here anymore. [Vince then] said, ‘What? Talk to me after the show.’ I talked to Stephanie after the show. He got back into the limo and was flying back to Stamford and I was flying back to LA.”
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It was then that he learned how he was almost head writer.
“I let her know and she was like, ‘Man, we were about to give you SmackDown. You were going to be the Head Writer, so I can’t believe it.’ She was disappointed. I was like, ‘Look, you know I love you guys, but I’m a dad and I’m out.’ That was that. I quit and I never looked back.”
