Gerald Brisco was on the latest “Something to Wrestle” podcast, which had a remix of past conversations with Bruce Prichard about the Montreal Screwjob.
The Montreal Screwjob at the 1997 Survivor Series PPV event was where Vince McMahon rang the bell while Shawn Michaels had Bret Hart in the Sharpshooter. This was done to have Michaels win the WWE Title as Hart was leaving for WCW.
Brisco recalled the conversation he had with Earl Hebner about screwing Bret.
“As the match was getting ready to go to the ring, Earl was getting ready to get in there. I grabbed Earl by the arm and I took him just a few steps from the Gorilla position where Bruce (Prichard) was sitting, and Davey Boy and Owen, so I couldn’t talk to him right in front of them because they would alert Bret somehow that Brisco was talking to the referee and to be aware of something.
Brisco continued, “So I took Earl back in a little corner and Earl did not want to do it. Earl was not going to do it. I just started laying it out in black and white to him. I said, ‘Earl, you have a mortgage on your house, right? If Bret takes his title down there (WCW), and like I said, we’re not in the greatest shape financially, we being WWF, is he going to pay your mortgage? Is he going to pay your electric bill? Is he going to feed your family when he takes off and he’s down there making billions of dollars? What’s going to happen to you if you refuse to do this and I have to replace you?’”
“I went to Timmy White and asked Timmy to stand by. I told Timmy, ‘We might have a ref bump so I might need you to stand by.’ That’s how I covered it with Timmy to be on standby to referee the match just in case something happened. Timmy of course being a company man said, ‘Yea, I’ll be glad to.’ He said, ‘I hope nothing happens.’ I said, ‘Well I do too, but I might need you as a standby.’
So Timmy was sitting over by Gorilla [position]. Finally, I got down to brass tacks with Earl. I said, ‘Ok Earl. You have to go to the ring. You have to tell me right now. I’ve got Timmy White over there that will take your place. You know if you refuse to do it and you walk out, you’re probably finished here. Now is Bret going to take you to WCW and get you a job down there? I doubt it if he’ll take you down there. You’re going to be out of the business as far as making major money with a major organization.’ He looked at me and said, ‘Brisco, I wouldn’t do it for any other guy but you.’ He said, ‘It’s against my judgment.’ I said, ‘It’s against my judgment too, but it’s the only choice that we have at this time. So are you going to do it or not?’ He said, ‘I’ll do it.’ I said, ‘As soon as you do that 1,2,3, I want you to grab the belt, hand it to Shawn, and just get the hell out of there. Get out of that arena as quickly and as fast as you possibly can.’”
