Former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz has offered some insight into an on-screen segment that saw The Rock impersonate then WWF Champion Triple H.
In mid- February of 2000, Triple H and D-Generation X targeted the likes of Kane and Mick Foley, forcibly shoving them into their DX-Express travel bus on an episode of RAW. Later in the evening, the New Age Outlaws defended their WWF World Tag Team Championships against The Rock and The Big Show. However, The Rock ended up challenging for the titles alone.
Before the bout could conclude, The Big Show appeared to confront The Rock before the two traded punches. Billy Gunn and Road Dogg (The New Age Outlaws) would then join the Big Show in fending off The Rock. Soon after, “The World’s Largest Athlete” took hold of Rock, dragging and throwing him into the baggage compartment of the DX-Express. The Rock would eventually escape, surprising The Big Show with a slate of wood to the back of his head.
The following week, DX, along with Stephanie McMahon, gathered in the ring to brag about leaving Foley and Kane stranded. The Rock, however, was unamused with their celebration. In cutting off Triple H, “The People’s Champ” emerged to cut a promo, mocking the way “The Game” spoke.
Pitching The Idea
In speaking on NotSam Wrestling, former WWE head-writer Brian Gewirtz recently opened up about the meeting for the idea, which saw him in the same room with Triple H during the pitch.
“I think that was in 2000, and the stage being set for that with us coming up with the idea for the promo, me pitching to him doing the Triple H voice and then pitching it to Vince, which normally would be easy. But when we went into Vince’s office, which at the time this is pretty incredible to consider, the writing team was so small that the writers shared an office with Vince. The writers didn’t get their own little office until 2002.”
“We would share our office with Vince, so we would go in and at that time Triple H and all of DX and Stephanie [McMahon] were all there, and Rock was setting up the promo and he’s like, ‘Oh, you’re going to love it, Hunter.’ I go in and [Rock says], ‘You know, Triple H, every time you open your mouth, you sound exactly like this.’ Then he stops and goes, ‘Brian, go ahead, do the voice.’”
As he was put on the spot with eight people, including the match producers, in the room, Gewirtz tried to avoid mimicking Triple H. “‘Well, you have to do it in TV. We should hear how you do it,'” he told The Rock. “He’s like, ‘But I’m learning from you when you do it.’”
WWE Chairmen Vince McMahon then proceeded to interject, saying ‘Damn it, Bryan, do the damn voice.'”
