Executive Director of Monday Night Raw, Bruce Prichard, has spoken out about WWE’s want to sign Britney Spears during the 2006 storyline with the singer’s then husband, Kevin Federline.
When rapper Kevin Federline appeared on WWE television in October 2006 to promote his latest album, Playing With Fire, it was almost inevitable that the company would involve the name in some type of on-screen angle. The opportunity was too good to miss.
As it came to pass, Federline would become involved in a tale with then WWE Champion, John Cena, which involved a heel turn by the recording artist at WWE Cyber Sunday on November 5, 2006, when he nailed the leader of the Cention with King Booker’s World Heavyweight Championship during the main event. Following a second shot with the gold, royalty retained in a Champion of Champions Match which also included Big Show.
The betrayal – which was less than shocking thanks to their altercations in the weeks prior – lead to a No Disqualification Match between both men on the January 1, 2007, edition of Monday Night Raw which Federline shockingly won with the help of Johnny Nitro (John Morrison) and Umaga.
Kevin Federline was so well received backstage, that at the time The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that the company were considering him for a regular role on the red brand.
Now, Bruce Prichard has taken to his Something To Wrestle With Podcast in order to tell the story of the internal talks that occurred during that time period about also bringing in Federline’s wife, Britney Spears:
“Well, K-Fed was obviously looking for any kind of promotion he could get in a positive light and we’re always looking for any kind of interaction that we can get with people that are popular at the time. K-Fed kind of fit both of those. Britney [Spears] was never discussed. Britney was not discussed upfront. I think that there was a general feeling and there definitely was a general feeling amongst those in creative that, ‘If we’re good with Kevin and he likes it and it does positive things for him, then this is a great opportunity for maybe Britney to show up in an event, make comments, and on down the line, maybe get Britney involved in something’.
So, yeah, there was that, you said, ‘Maybe we can get Britney at some point along the way’. Even if it was for a quick appearance on television, I didn’t give a s**t, but K-Fed, everybody rolled their eyes at it. Everybody was like, ‘Oh f–k, what are going to do with this guy?'”
Prichard then went on to talk about the initial reaction the star got when he walked into the company with his entourage and him not wanting his own locker room, instead preferring to hang-out in the hallways:
“This guy walks in with an entourage like three guys and has his own dressing room, but he wants to hang out in the hallway. He wants to hang out, go to catering, he’s got spread in his dressing room and is in awe of everything around him. Just absolute awe and couldn’t have been more respectful, couldn’t have been nicer and cooperative.” He would just stare, not believing where he was. I dare say extremely intimidated about his surroundings.”
While the interview went on at length, the artist formerly known as Brother Love discussed the decision to put him over the WWE Champion on television – a risky strategy that would have devaluated the gold had it been around the waist of anyone else – citing it as great creative:
“It was great creative, because it got people hooked and for those outsiders that maybe tuning in just to see what the hell are they going to do with Kevin Federline and then hopefully, you keep them for the rest of the show from there. It’s a different way of looking at it and a different way to do it. I think it was smart. Some people are going to tune out, but hopefully, it got you wanting to stay tuned to see what more is going to come with John Cena.”
Kevin Federline and Britney Spears were married from 2004-2006. When the divorce papers were filed, the reason cited stated irreconcilable differences.
Credit for the interview: Something To Wrestle With
h/t for the transcription: Wrestling Inc.