On today’s episode episode of Talk Is Jericho, Chris Jericho sat down with new AEW signing Paul Wight. During their conversation, Wight revealed nixed SummerSlam plans involving Grammy award winning artist Justin Bieber.
“Years ago, I had worked out, for one of the SummerSlam’s in LA, with a very good friend who was working with Scooter Braun and Justin Bieber, and it was going to be John Cena, The Big Show and Justin Bieber vs. The Wyatt’s at SummerSlam,” Wight revealed. “Bieber was on board. He was excited. He wanted to work out with John and I. This was a really really big deal, and this is when that app first came out and all that other crap.
“And then one of the people that are making decisions said, ‘I just don’t see how Justin Bieber’s going to relate to our audience.’ It’s like, does anyone not see the amount of eyes Justin Bieber would bring to that match? I think WWE offered to help promote his album. You’re dealing with Scooter Braun. Scooter Braun’s all about cash, and they jacked Scooter around for about two weeks. And Scooter’s like, ‘Listen, it’s not going to happen. I got the kid a million dollars to watch a soccer game, and they’re flying down him down on a private jet.’”
Jericho then revealed nixed plans involving Hollywood star Will Ferrell at WrestleMania. He revealed WWE’s reasoning for turning down Ferrell.
“Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers had done a bunch of stuff with Will Ferrell because they look exactly the same, and they had done a drum off in LA,” Jericho recalled. “And they wanted to do something for charity at WrestleMania, and they were like, ‘Well, you have to understand, we don’t really pay guys.’ I said, ‘This is Will Ferrell. Dudes, it’s Will Ferrell. If you had Will Ferrell and Chad Smith face off, put them in a tag team — you could do a million things.’ Will Ferrell in WWE on WrestleMania would make a difference. ‘We don’t really pay our celebrities.’ Then you guys are idiots because he wants to do it. All he wants to do is have a good donation for his charity. Flip the 500 grand to Will Ferrell’s charity, get him on the show and have that recognition. They wouldn’t do it.”
Wight noted that is part of the WWE system. He talked about how talent are like a cog in a machine and described the environment talent are put in.
“It’s weird how that mentality works sometimes because you get put in a box. As a talent, you bring ideas, and it’s not going to happen,” Wight noted. “And then other things will happen, and you’re like, ‘How the hell did that happen? That’s just the way the ball bounces sometimes. It’s done by design. You either learn to become a gear in the cog in the machine or you don’t fit in and you’re not there, but what’s funny is you don’t really realize you’re a gear in the cog because you’re fighting so hard. You’re fighting for everything. You’re fighting for position.
“Back in the day, you used to fight for payoffs and stuff like that for pay per views and positions on the card because it made a difference whether you’re on first or on before intermission or after intermission. All those things were weighed in so you keep an environment of turmoil amongst the talent, and while the talents are fighting with each other, then the guys in charge can do whatever. It’s a great system in how they will change the narrative so that it’s you that needs them, and they’re doing you a favor. They use key words like honor, and family and loyalty, but at the same time, if something happens, you’ll get dropped like a hot rock.”
