The only thing that didn’t resonate with me is that there are quite lot of American tv references that I just didn’t get, similar to Justin Roberts’s book. In fact, as a whole this is a very similar experience to Justin’s effort, which isn’t a bad thing at all, both are great! Brian Gewirtz has presided over one of the most transformative periods in pro wrestling history and been one of the right-hand men of its kingpin Vince McMahon. Surely, you'd think, there'd be enough interesting stories to fill an anthology. First, the good. I truly enjoyed the perspective of someone in the wrestling industry that isn't a wrestler. His point of view is interesting and unique, mainly because most wrestling related autobiographies I read have been written by wrestlers. I realized these storylines, for me, were far more compelling than the actual wrestling. When done right, I couldn’t wait for the next tv episode. My kids just wanted to see their heroes and villains; I went along for the drama (well…ok. I also fan watched quote a bit still). In There's Just One Problem, former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz tells of a contentious meeting with Vince McMahon that ultimately soured their then decade-plus working relationship. With RAW taking place in Miami that night, Brian pitched a line surrounding Dwayne Wade, then superstar player for the NBA's Miami Heat, for The Miz to use to rile up the local crowd. Unaware of who Dwyane Wade is, Vince dismissed the line essentially saying that because Vince himself isn't aware of who Dwayne Wade is, then no one else would be.

Gewirtz weaves in WWE terminology, explaining the wrestling vernacular early on with lasting impact. So when he uses these terms in context throughout the book as it moves forward, you feel like a bit of an insider privy to the wrestling lingo and experiencing these situations like you’re in on the storylines. And he does all this coming off as your best friend sitting around the picnic table at the company appreciation day barbecue. I mean, the guy IS a writer. I helped Evan and Jason based on my relationships with some of the wrestlers. I reached out to one of my heroes and one of Dwayne's heroes as well, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, because we needed him if we were going to do an episode on the Calgary Stampede territory. And part of the reason he wanted to come on the show was because we got Abdullah the Butcher to be on the show—there's not nearly enough television shows with Abdullah the Butcher talking.BOOK REVIEW: There’s Just One Problem – True Tales from the Former, One-Time, 7th Most Powerful Person in the WWE This book covers very, very little of that era as this writer didn’t start then. This guy got the gig because the writers who HAD done the attitude era had split suddenly. This was a totally enjoyable read. I’d recommend it to anyone who grew up with a WWE themed bedroom (like my son) or kept John Cena’s autographed picture on their wall (like my daughter). But also anyone intrigued by the inner workings and day to day highs and lows of working for a cultural behemoth like World Wrestling Entertainment. The truly fascinating moments in this book involve Vince McMahon. With all the recent news surrounding the former CEO of WWE, Gewirtz’s peek behind the curtain shows just how endlessly challenging it was working for a man who always insists he is right. While there are a few stories collected in here that have certainly made the rounds over the years (having to completely rewrite shows from the ground up at the drop of a hat), there are others that will make your head spin. If you’re a life-long watcher of WWE, you’re likely well aware of Vince McMahon’s penchant for toilet humor (vomiting, farting, etc). In one of his first meetings with Brian, Vince told him that WWE “doesn’t do comedy, we do humor” and that “there’s nothing funnier than someone stepping in dogshit. If I could, I’d write a whole show on people stepping in dogshit, I would.” Speaks volumes about what we’ve seen on TV for decades.

The truly fascinating moments in this book involve Vince McMahon. With all the recent news surrounding the former CEO of WWE, Gewirtz' peak behind the curtain shows just how endlessly challenging it was working for a man who always insists he is right. While there are a few stories collected in here that have certainly made the rounds over the years (having to completely rewrite shows from the ground up at the drop of a hat), there are others that will make your head spin. If you're a life-long watcher of WWE, you're likely well aware of Vince McMahon's penchant for toilet-humor (vomiting, farting, etc). In one of his first meetings with Brian, Vince told him that WWE "doesn't do comedy, we do humor" and that "there's nothing funnier than someone stepping in dogshit. If I could, I'd write a whole show on peopling stepping in dogshit, I would." Speaks volumes for what we've seen on TV for decades. Wrestling doesn’t get nearly the level of appreciation it should. You look at all this insane work that goes into making seas of people happy from everyone from the road crew setting up the ring to the camera crews to the writers to the wrestlers and the amount of time dedicated to this craft and everyone just blows it off. The CEO is IN IT, too. Not sitting somewhere else figuring stuff out like it’s an abstract thing - we’re talking headphones on, papers in hand, CONTROLLING things. Brian grew up wanting to follow in his uncle’s steps of becoming a television script writer. After a couple of failed shows, Brian falls into becoming the lead writer of WWE at the height of the Monday Night Wars. Brian shares many of his job details, the history of major WWE storylines, and behind the scenes stories.Gewirtz is set to release his book "There's Just One Problem...True Tales from the Former, One-Time, 7th Most Powerful Person in WWE" on August 16 detailing some behind the scenes stories from his time in the company.

THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM is a story about perseverance, tenacity, and steel chairs. Most writers in the WWE last for a matter of months; Gewirtz was there for over 15 years, writing some of most memorable and infamous storylines in WWE history (covering the “Attitude Era”, the “Ruthless Aggression Era” and into the “PG” and “Reality” eras).With untold stories from a career spanning over 15 years and featuring the biggest names and controversial moments in wrestling history, THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM is an honest, unflinching look on how an introverted life-long fan unexpectedly became one the most powerful men in all of professional wrestling. I mean, Randy Orton WAS Sabretooth. John Cena WAS Wolverine. Their battles were epic. But behind much of this narrative were writers like Gewirtz, scripting the story to maximize impact, and, above all, generate fan interest which translates into profits. And boy, did WWE succeed in that endeavor. Vince always encouraged Brian to fight for his ideas but if he ever had a disagreement with Vince himself, Brian would never win, which is what ultimately damaged their working relationship. Brian knew he couldn't win in an argument based around what should or shouldn't be on television, but even after years and years of loyal service, Vince still would only listen to himself and if he didn't get what Brian presented, it didn't go on the show. I can only imagine how frustrating this can be for someone who knows the product inside and out and has proven time and time again to be of considerable value.