Eric Bischoff on his interactions with Kevin Dunn in WWE

On Bischoff’s 83 Weeks show, he discussed his first year in the WWE. He was very observant of Kevin Dunn, who  still has a reputation even today. Bischoff actually started off by saying they barely had any interactions.

 


 

“Kevin was very short on personality and charisma and very long on talent. I didn’t have to interact with Kevin Dunn all of that much.

Occasionally, something that I was doing was complex enough and where Kevin Dunn was directing the show and wanted to be part of the process, laying things out and things like that but my working relationship with Kevin was very limited.”

People were always on their toes during the Monday Night Wars. Bischoff believed it had something to do with his relationship with Dunn. But that was not the case.

“There were some backstage people who were part of the war watching back and forth between Raw and Nitro and were anxious to get to know me, but it was generally very positive. Kevin Dunn was the exception to that. He wasn’t negative, don’t get me wrong.

He didn’t give me a stiff arm or anything like that but he was very indifferent, that is the best way to say it. I had noticed it right away, so I thought, wow, this guy has clearly got something still stuck up his a**, but after I got to know him and being there a couple of years he had treated everybody that way.

I mean, that is just Kevin Dunn. He didn’t treat me any different than most people. I am sure there were some; Hunter now, maybe even back then. Undertaker, The Rock, I am sure there was a select few who he was warmer too than someone else, but he was very aloof and a different cat. I took it at face value; I didn’t take it personally or anything like that.”

Dunn was considered no-nonsense guy. However, Bischoff revealed that once he became close enough to Dunn, he was able to cut loose.

“After about a year or so it was no different than in WCW; you get done doing your show, you get to the hotel, you then get to the hotel bar where it’s about 11:30pm; bar is open until 2 am. Everybody has a few cocktails together because everybody is living off of the energy and the adrenaline of a live show.

I used to hang out quite a bit with Jonathan Coachman. He and I always found ourselves together at the bar for a cocktail or two after the shows, and then I started to have a drink with Kevin Dunn. I noticed that Kevin was much different away from location rather than on location. On location he was all business; no jokes, no smiles, didn’t really say anything that wasn’t necessary to say to you.

He may walk by you and nod, which is what you would get out of him most of the day unless he was doing something that you were a part of that day, but outside of the arena he was a lot more relaxed and way more personable. Oftentimes Mean Gene was there so it made it really easy because Gene is pretty jovial; its pretty hard not to get along with Gene. It’s hard to not be laughing your a** off when you find yourself in a group of people with Gene in the middle.”

h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

Harrison Carter
Harrison Carter
Harrison Carter has been a huge pro wrestling fan since 2002, and it's been his first love ever since then. He has years of writing experience for all things pro wrestling. His interests outside of wrestling include films, books and soccer.

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