Scott Hall wanted Vince McMahon to talk to him after giving his WWF notice
On the latest Jericho Cruise edition of Talk Is Jericho, Scott Hall discussed why he left WWE for WCW, his final conversation with Vince McMahon before he left, and if Vince knew about the infamous Curtain Call in advance (Hall says Vince knew). Highlights are below.
On why he left WWE to jump to WCW: “I had been schooled in kind of the old school art of doing business with promoters by Curt Hennig, so I pulled Vince aside one time at TV and said, ‘Hey boss, can I ask you for some advice?’ Because Curt said the smart guys, they like to help, he wants to help. So I said, ‘Hey boss, is it my ring work that needs to improve? What do I need to work on?’ [Vince impersonation] ‘Absolutely not, you’re one of the best we got.’ I said, ‘Is it my mic skills or something, can you help me get better?’ And he went, ‘I love what you’re doing.’ I said, ‘I’m curious because I want to make big money like the guys who proceeded me and I’ve noticed that my pay has kind of plateaued although I feel like my value to the company is increasing.’ I said, ‘I’m a babyface that you could leave laying and they chant my name.’ I mean, I’d put guys over and they’re chanting my name. So I was in a good spot, I felt like. And I always said too, when I first started, he said, ‘You’re going to make a lot of money.’ And I said, ‘I don’t have to have the most, I just want a lot.’ ‘I’m a redneck, I live kind of humbly, I’ll get by fine, I just want a little bit more, please.’ So, he said, ‘No.’
Scott Hall on failing a drug test after giving his notice: “So back then, in your contract was required you give your notice 90 days in advance, in writing. And I’ll be darned if I didn’t fail a piss test the next day. And it was six weeks old. And I went, ‘Wow, I guess they got my notice.’
Scott Hall on Vince’s reaction to him leaving: “And Vince never sold it though. I gave my notice, he never sold it, he never said, ‘Hey let’s talk, let’s work this out,’ which is kind of what I was hoping. The only time he asked to speak to me at all was after the big show at Madison Square Garden, the famous curtain call took place later, it’s intermission, they’re setting the cage up for Shawn and Kev, and I get summoned to Vince’s office. And I’m thinking, ‘Hey, I didn’t get hurt, I’m out of here, I’m going down there, whatever lay await for me, I’m going.’ And he comes in and goes, ‘Goddamnit, you still work for me, what did them sons of bitches offer you?’ And I said, ‘Vince, I don’t feel comfortable really talking about this, I told Eric Bischoff I’m coming.’ ‘What they offer?’ I told him. He said, ‘That’s a pretty good deal.’ I said, ‘You asked.’ I said, ‘I’m out of here.’ Shawn burst in, ‘Oh I want this to happen,’ and the curtain call took place. Vince knew about it ahead of time.”
On what he and other wrestlers in WWE were making at the time: “My contract was, as everybody’s except maybe Hulk and stuff, Warrior, 10 days at $150 a date, guaranteed. Now you made more than that, but that was what you were guaranteed. $1500, and you give up everything, for $1500.”
