Todd Grisham has faced a lot of pressure throughout his broadcasting career, but nothing compares to an incident involving Vince McMahon during a WWE broadcast, all triggered by a reference to a poem. In an interview with Chris Van Vleet, Grisham revealed that while commentating a John Morrison match, he was incorporating WWE-approved material from the magazine, which had been revamped to focus more on character-driven lifestyle content. When Morrison executed his finisher, “Starship Pain,” Grisham casually mentioned that Morrison was a fan of poetry and had even written a poem about his finishing move. This line, taken directly from the WWE Magazine, caused Vince McMahon to frantically curse over Grisham’s headset during the live show, shocking even the most seasoned WWE staff.
Vince angrily shouted, “I told you our number one heel was an effing poet?! You idiot!” and quickly took Grisham off commentary for the remainder of the match, replacing him with Jim Ross to demonstrate how off-base Grisham’s comment was. Despite following the producers’ guidance to use magazine content, Vince showed no tolerance that night, firmly believing that no villain should be associated with poetry. Grisham said this kind of emotional outburst was typical from Vince and became part of his weekly routine, joking that he considered it “emotional abuse” for which he was well compensated.
Over eight years, Grisham kept a low profile to avoid Vince’s creative “landmines,” but the “poet” moment remains one of his most surreal career experiences—ironically because he was sticking to the scripted rules. WWE audiences fondly remember Grisham’s commentary, but this behind-the-scenes story reveals the intense chaos Vince McMahon could bring to broadcasts.
What’s your take on Vince McMahon’s reaction to something as harmless as poetry? Should commentators have more freedom to build storylines using exposition, or was Vince justified in stopping Grisham? Share your thoughts below, and let us know what you would have done in Todd’s shoes.
If you use this transcript, please credit Ringside News.
Fan Take: This story underscores the high-pressure environment behind WWE broadcasts, showing how even minor deviations from Vince McMahon’s vision could spark major fallout. For fans, understanding these tensions provides greater appreciation for the complexity of storytelling in wrestling and how much creative control shapes the characters they love.
