Stone Cold Steve Austin Talks About His First Ever Scripted Promo in WWE

On this week’s edition of the Steve Austin Show with special Guest Eli Drake, the topic had moved on to scripted promos and how awkward they make them feel. Austin reminisced about the first time he was hand delivered a promo from one of the writers backstage:

I’ll never forget when I came back from getting my neck fused – C3 and C4 – in ’99 or whenever it was. And when I left, we were cutting promos just like I told you, man, you kind of go out there and it was what it was. You might have a bullet point or two, or someone might say, “hey man, remember this” or whatever, but you go out there and you cut a promo.

When I came back, that’s when the papers started coming around. And all of a sudden… man, I’ll never forget I’ve told this story many times, but I was in a room with Vince, and somebody had to track me down. I was watching matches. “Hey man, Vince wants to go through this promo with you.” And I said [in a monotone voice], “Vince, when I get my hands on you I am going to tear you limb from limb…” He goes, “God damn it, Steve! Give me your A promo!” And I’m like, “I’m not going to give you my A promo here because I can’t give you my A promo here because I’m not ‘Stone Cold’ in here! I’m ‘Stone Cold’ when I get out there and that’s when I turn that shit on and that’s when I’m in a whole different universe.” And that’s when, dude, when the red light’s going… if it’s a TV taping, or especially if it’s live, that’s when I’m really on.