WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque was a recent guest on ESPN’s First Take, where he discussed the company’s new five-part Netflix docuseries, “WWE: Unreal.” In the interview, Levesque explained the motivation for pulling back the curtain, his response to criticism, and his belief that the series will ultimately increase fans’ respect for the business.
Levesque began by explaining that in today’s media landscape, giving fans a peek behind the scenes is a natural evolution, as they are already constantly speculating about the inner workings of the company.
A Calculated Look Behind The Curtain
“I think in today’s world with the internet… half the fun for our fans, I think sometimes, is speculating around what is going on behind the scenes anyways. So we decided to let them take a look,” Levesque said. He was quick to clarify, however, that the show does not expose the business entirely. “We’re not exactly showing you everything and how the magic is done, or how the tricks are done, if you wanted to use a magic reference, but we’re giving you the behind the scenes. We’re showing you what goes into this.”
He continued, “A lot of people think it’s just these athletes show up and they put on a show and that’s it. And, you know, it’s all predetermined. So it’s easy. It’s not that at all. There’s a million things that go into this, and a lot of complex navigating, and it’s a fascinating look.”
Addressing Potential Criticism
When host Stephen A. Smith asked if there were concerns about giving fans license to be more critical of the creative process, Levesque said it was a calculated risk. “Absolutely, we all looked at that. We looked at every aspect of it, and the positives and the negatives, and we weighed it out,” he stated. “You can’t be afraid to do something in life. You can’t be afraid that, ‘Well, somebody might criticize us.’ If we were afraid that people might criticize what we do, we wouldn’t put on a show every week.”
He compared the situation to traditional sports, where fans and media endlessly debate the decisions of coaches and players. “It’s part of what makes us wonderful,” he said. “You can look at it no different than a sport. You can look at it and say, ‘This coach doesn’t know what he’s doing. I would have done this, and I know that would have been better.'”
Building a Deeper Connection
Levesque drew a direct parallel to the success of the Formula 1 docuseries, Drive to Survive, which created a new, massive fanbase for the sport by showcasing the human drama behind the races. “I think of… people that weren’t fans of F1 racing, see the behind the scenes of everything that goes into it, and it has increased their respect of an industry, their respect of what those athletes go through,” he explained. “I think this just increases the respect level for what we do.”
He concluded by stating that seeing the passion and the struggles of the performers will only strengthen the bond with the audience. “I think it builds that deeper connection,” he said. “When you have athletes like Rhea Ripley, who many see as this larger-than-life, never-would-have-a-doubt character, going through the highs and the lows and the pressure and the doubts, the self-doubts, and overcoming those to go out there and perform the way she does, I don’t know how it doesn’t make you appreciate her more as a performer… They do it for the fans. They do it to entertain. They do it because they love what they do.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit ESPN First Take with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
