WWF Livewire (partially found professional wrestling recap and talk show; 1996-2001): Difference between revisions

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(A fascinating show for its time, though it wasn't great for Kayfabe purposes! Also, the origins of Jim Cornette vs Vince Russo!)
 
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==See Also==
==See Also==
*[[AJ Styles vs Kenny Omega (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2006)]]
*[[Alberto Del Rio vs CM Punk vs Dolph Ziggler vs Jack Swagger vs John Cena (partially found master tape footage of untelevised Hell in a Cell match; 2011)]]
*[[Awesome Kong vs Melissa Anderson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2009)]]
*[[Bill Longson vs Whipper Billy Watson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1947)]]
*[[Blood Circus (partially found Santo Gold film; 1985)]]
*[[Braden Walker's "Knock Knock" promo (lost original pre-tapes of WWE backstage segment; 2008)]]
*[[Braden Walker's "Knock Knock" promo (lost original pre-tapes of WWE backstage segment; 2008)]]
*[[Bradshaw vs Christian (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2001)]]
*[[Bret Hart-Hulk Hogan photoshoot (lost professional wrestling promotional photos; 1993)]]
*[[Bret Hart-Hulk Hogan photoshoot (lost professional wrestling promotional photos; 1993)]]
*[[Bret Hart vs Tom Magee (found untelevised professional wrestling match; 1986)]]
*[[Bret Hart vs Tom Magee (found untelevised professional wrestling match; 1986)]]
*[[Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)]]
*[[Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)]]
*[[Celebrity Wrestling (partially found ITV professional wrestling reality show; 2005)]]
*[[Celebrity Wrestling (partially found ITV professional wrestling reality show; 2005)]]
*[[Chowdaheads (partially found unaired professional wrestling cartoon show; 1999)]]
*[[Collision in Korea (found professional wrestling event in North Korea; 1995)]]
*[[Collision in Korea wrestler sketches (lost North Korean pencil sketch portraits of professional wrestlers; 1995)]]
*[[Cultaholic (found debut video of professional wrestling YouTube channel; 2017)]]
*[[ECW Anarchy Rulz (lost build of cancelled Nintendo 64 port of professional wrestling game; existence unconfirmed; 2000)]]
*[[ECW Anarchy Rulz (lost build of cancelled Nintendo 64 port of professional wrestling game; existence unconfirmed; 2000)]]
*[[ECW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)]]
*[[ECW Hardcore TV final episodes (lost episodes of Professional Wrestling Show; 2001)]]
*[[ECW Hardcore TV final episodes (lost episodes of Professional Wrestling Show; 2001)]]
*[[FMW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)]]
*[[The Game (partially found Disturbed cover of professional wrestling theme song; mid 2000s)]]
*[[The Game (partially found Disturbed cover of professional wrestling theme song; mid 2000s)]]
*[[GFW Amped (partially found unaired professional wrestling show; 2015)]]
*[[GFW Amped (partially found unaired professional wrestling show; 2015)]]
*[[The Giant's moonsault (lost footage of professional wrestling move; existence unconfirmed; 1990s)]]
*[[Girls Gone Wild: Live from Spring Break (found WWE/Girls Gone Wild crossover special; 2003)]]
*[[Girls Gone Wild: Live from Spring Break (found WWE/Girls Gone Wild crossover special; 2003)]]
*[[GLOW (lost unfinished final season of Netflix comedy-drama series; 2019-2020)]]
*[[GLOW (lost unfinished final season of Netflix comedy-drama series; 2019-2020)]]
*[[Goldberg's pre-television debut matches (lost footage of professional wrestling dark matches; 1997)]]
*[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1908)]]
*[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1908)]]
*[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1911)]]
*[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1911)]]
*[[Jake "The Snake" Roberts DDTs Hulk Hogan (lost Snake Pit segment; 1986)]]
*[[Jake "The Snake" Roberts DDTs Hulk Hogan (lost Snake Pit segment; 1986)]]
*[[Johnny Gargano vs Velveteen Dream (lost footage of alternate finish to professional wrestling match; 2019)]]
*[[Kurt Angle vs Owen Hart (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1999)]]
*[[The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)]]
*[[The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)]]
*[[Lita's training matches (partially found training videos of professional wrestler; late 1990s-2000)]]
*[[Low Ki & Mercury vs Ric Blade & TCK (partially lost footage of hardcore wrestling tag team match; 2000)]]
*[[Mark Jindrak in Evolution (partially found unaired vignettes of professional wrestling stable; 2003)]]
*[[Pat Tanaka vs Rocco Rock (lost footage of "Body Count" professional wrestling match; 1993)]]
*[["Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)]]
*[["Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)]]
*[[Radio WWF (lost professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000)]]
*[[Screwed: The Bret Hart Story (lost unfinished wrestling documentary film; 2005)]]
*[[Screwed: The Bret Hart Story (lost unfinished wrestling documentary film; 2005)]]
*[[Sex University (lost WWE webshow; 2006)]]
*[[Sex University (lost WWE webshow; 2006)]]
Line 97: Line 159:
*[[WCW Internet-only Special Events and PPVs (lost audio streams; 1997-1998)]]
*[[WCW Internet-only Special Events and PPVs (lost audio streams; 1997-1998)]]
*[[WCW/nWo Live (lost build of cancelled PlayStation professional wrestling game; 1998)]]
*[[WCW/nWo Live (lost build of cancelled PlayStation professional wrestling game; 1998)]]
*[[WWE 24x7 (lost professional wrestling compilation show; 2007)]]
*[[WWE Brawl (lost build of cancelled fighting game based on professional wrestling; 2012)]]
*[[WWE Brawl (lost build of cancelled fighting game based on professional wrestling; 2012)]]
*[[WWE Crush Hour (lost build of cancelled Xbox port of vehicular combat game; 2002)]]
*[[WWE SmackDown vs Raw Online (lost build of cancelled online professional wrestling PC game; 2010-2011)]]
*[[WWE SmackDown vs Raw Online (lost build of cancelled online professional wrestling PC game; 2010-2011)]]
*[[WWE Wrestlemania 36 (lost footage of alternate finishes to professional wrestling matches; 2020)]]
*[[WWF Attitude (lost professional wrestling recap show; 2001-2002)]]
*[[WWF Backlash (non-existent unfinished Nintendo 64 professional wrestling game; 2001)]]
*[[WWF Backlash (non-existent unfinished Nintendo 64 professional wrestling game; 2001)]]
*[[WWF Excess (partially found professional wrestling talk show; 2001-2002)]]
*[[WWF In Your House 8: Beware Of Dog (partially found untelevised professional wrestling matches; 1996)]]
*[[WWF In Your House 8: Beware Of Dog (partially found untelevised professional wrestling matches; 1996)]]
*[[WWF No Mercy (lost Game Boy Color games based on Nintendo 64 wrestling game; 2000)]]
*[[WWF No Mercy (lost Game Boy Color games based on Nintendo 64 wrestling game; 2000)]]

Revision as of 15:36, 26 February 2022

Wwflivewire1.png

WWF Livewire logo.

Status: Partially Found

WWF Livewire (sometimes referred to as WWF LiveWire) is a professional wrestling recap and talk show. Produced by the World Wresting Federation (WWF, now WWE), it aired from 1996 to 2001 on USA Network and later TNN. Primarily a weekly summary show by February 1997, the original format of the show is famous for its interactivity, and is considered the most uncensored show in WWE's history.

Background

WWF Livewire was a unique show for professional wrestling when it debuted on 5th October, 1996 on Saturday mornings. In an attempt to transition away from the outlandish-based New Generation era to a more reality-based format, the show became a platform where the WWF's audience could interact with its wrestling personalities. Fans were able to call the show and ask questions, send faxes regarding their thoughts concerning WWF programming at the time, and even join a chat room to discuss WWF with other fans.[1]

Hosted primarily by Todd Pettengill and with the support of wrestlers and other personalities including Sunny and Jim Cornette, the first few months of the show brought about various hard-hitting questions from fans and notable incidents. The show's interactions were seldom screened, resulting in the show being surprisingly uncensored for a WWF program, especially back in the 1990s. This allowed open discussion about the wrestling industry, to the extent that WWE itself has labelled WWF Livewire "The most uncensored show in WWE history".[2] By February 1997, Livewire reverted to a typical wrestling recap show, and remained as such before it was discontinued on 18th August 2001.[3]

Notable Highlights

One highlight concerned a fan directly asking WWF owner Vince McMahon regarding WCW and Ted Turner in an October 1996 edition of the show. Back then, the WWF rarely referenced other wrestling shows, and McMahon's status as WWF chairman was still not widely known, as he primarily was a commentator and had yet to transition into a heel boss persona during his famous feud with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.[4] McMahon nevertheless candidly answered the question, discussing how the Black Saturday incident, where the WWF's attempt to take over Georgia Championship Wrestling's time slot on Turner's Superstation WTBS in 1984 ended in disaster, led to his long-standing feud with Turner.[5]

McMahon also received a call from an individual referred to as "Bruce from Connecticut", who accused the WWF of stealing ideas from Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). It was not long before most realised that "Bruce" was actually ECW owner Paul Heyman, who used Livewire to not only berate the WWF, but also to promote his company. "Bruce" would be cut off after verbal tirade was deemed too vulgar for Saturday morning television.[6]

The show also marked the on-screen debut of Vince Russo, most notable for being the head writer for the WWF in the late-1990s, and later WCW from 1999-2000. Given the persona of "Vic Venom", Venom would make himself infamous in a single Livewire show. In it, he confronted WWF broadcaster Dok Hendrix, before in a breaking of Kayfabe, revealed that Hendrix was Michael Hayes of the Fabulous Freebirds. Additionally, Venom would turn his attentions to Cornette, with the two ending up bickering.[7] This is the only known instance of Russo and Cornette together on-screen, with Cornette famously being known for expressing his hatred of Russo in various shoot interviews over the years.[8]

Availability

WWF Livewire has yet to be fully included on the WWE Network, which when combined with the show's lower viewership due to the lack of professional wrestling matches, has resulted in much of the show becoming lost media. Nevertheless, the WWE Network does contain nine highlights from the show.[9]

In February 2021, eight 1996 episodes of WWF Livewire would be uploaded to YouTube by Lee Gareth. A further seven were known to have been uploaded based on a WWF Livewire playlist, but have since become unavailable. The 1997-2001 recap version of WWF Livewire is mostly missing, although the full 19th December 1998 episode, as well as a few segments, have since publicly resurfaced.

Gallery

21st September 1996.

5th October 1996.

19th October 1996.

26th October 1996.

2nd November 1996.

9th November 1996.

30th November 1996.

28th December 1996.

German dub of 11th April 1998.

19th December 1998.

11th January 1997 segment.

8th November 1997 segment.

15th November 1997 segment.

7th March 1998 segment.

28th March 1998 segment.

04th April 1998 segment.

25th April 1998 segment.

9th May 1998 segment.

5th September 1998 segment.

12th September 1998 segment.

19th September 1998 segment.

12th December 1998 segment.

26th December 1998 segment.

See Also

External Links

References