Shawn Michaels was far from a boy scout during the WWE Attitude Era, and a familiar name stated that HBK wasn’t afraid at improving with his emotions.
Vince Russo spoke with Sportskeeda on the “Wrestling Outlaws” about some of those tulmulteuous times that involved Michaels, including the infamous “Sunny Days” line Shawn used towards his on-air and off-air rival in Bret Hart.
“He was high out of his mind. He’d tell you. Obviously he’s a different man today. He was high on whatever, bro, painkillers, whatever these wrestlers take. He was high out of his mind, bro, and he just said it and he didn’t give a cr*p. That line right there led to the [Montreal] Screwjob. Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, that line started it all.”
How The ‘Live TV’ Element Was A Factor In Shawn Michaels’ Heat
Jim Ross once famously told Sid Vicious that “We’re live, pal” after Sid hilariously asked for a second take on live TV, and Russo knew that there would be no such opportunity when Michaels made that “Sunny Days” line directed at Hart on the May 19, 1997 of “WWE Raw.”
It was live and Shawn knew it was live, so I can’t [do anything]. Remember Sid with the do-over? There was no do-over and he said it. Bro, that started everything because Bret was like, ‘Bro, my freaking wife watches this show.’ That really set everything off.”
The Montreal Screwjob changed the pro wrestling landscape forever and really ignited the Attitude Era for WWE as Bret Hart left for WCW and it furthered “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s rise to superstardom.