Former WWE and TNA Wrestling executive Bruce Prichard appears on this week’s edition of The Steve Austin Show podcast, where he discussed the Brother Love character, early days in Pasadena and Austin, Texas, working alongside Vince McMahon, and more.
In June 1988, Prichard debuted as Brother Love in the World Wrestling Federation, a disingenuous preacher who claimed to spread “the message of love.” The bizarre red-faced character was inspired by controversial televangelists of the time.
“I debuted, and three weeks after I debuted I had done my first set. I had done my introduction with Bobby Heenan, Ted DiBiase was my benefactor to carry on my “message of love,” and then my introduction with the Big Bossman. So I had done those three. And right before we went to TV for the next set, the Jim Bakker-Jessica Hahn scandal broke. He was big time man, had that whole thing in North Carolina, and he gets caught in a scandal having sex with his secretary. He’s everywhere all over the news. I was made right there, because of the timing. We couldn’t have written it better,” Prichard recalls.
Brother Love was best known for hosting a weekly interview segment on WWF Superstars of Wrestling, called The Brother Love Show. He used the segment to verbally attack popular WWF Superstars at the time, such as Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior and Dusty Rhodes. Prichard admits that Hogan and Andre The Giant did not want to appear on the controversial character’s show—both ultimately did.
“People thought I was doing a spoof on religion. There were guys that wouldn’t work with me. Andre didn’t want to work with me. Andre liked Bruce, but he hated Brother Love. He did not want to be on the show; nothing to do with Brother Love,” said Prichard. “So Vince had me do my hair, get in my Brother Love shit, but not do my [make-up]. And he brought us in, had a sit-down with the boss and said, ‘Andre, it’s good business.’ And Andre agreed, but he hated Brother Love. Hulk Hogan was off at the time, and when came back he was like, “Dude, I don’t want to be out there with you man. Somebody’s gonna pull a gun on you.”
To listen to the 75-minute interview, visit PodcastOne.com.
