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In the pivotal summer of 1996, WCW unveiled the groundbreaking New World Order storyline, featuring Hulk Hogan teaming up with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash at Bash at the Beach. Before becoming an integral part of this influential angle, Eric Bischoff was known as a WCW announcer who had even taken a powerbomb from Kevin Nash through a table.
Eric Bischoff, who later stepped into the role of NWO's on-screen leader, was in reality the Vice President and eventually the President of WCW. Bischoff insists that the concept for the NWO storyline originated with him.
Recently, WWE Hall of Famer Larry Zbyszko asserted that he was the brainchild behind many of the NWO ideas. However, on his "83 Weeks" podcast, Bischoff vehemently denied Zbyszko's allegations, stating Larry was never part of the creative process and labeling his claims as "silly."
âItâs just silly. I hope Larry was high as fu** when he did it, because thatâs at least understandable, but he didnât sound high to me and he just sounded like a lot of other people who take credit for other peopleâs work, and I think in Larryâs mind, you know, part of what Larry said was true. You know, Larry did refer to, not the New World Order as we came to know it, but Larry did make a comment in commentary at one point about the New World Order and it did stick in my head and it came out in my preparation with Hulk Hogan right before Hulk went out to cut the promo.â
âYou know, the phrase, the New World Order of professional wrestling, just kind of rolled off my tongue and I went, âWow, thatâs pretty freakin cool.â That part is absolutely true, by the way, but as far as programming anything, Larry didnât know anything about what was going on.â
âI kept all of it a secret. I didnât tell anybody. I didnât tell my wife. I didnât tell anybody. I didnât want the word to get out. I certainly wouldnât have consulted with Larry and the idea that there was a big meeting in the back and I was asking for ideas. Come on now, Larry. Thereâs a lot of people that worked in that environment all at the same time that know thatâs just silly. So, whatever.â
Continuing his discussion, Eric Bischoff acknowledged that Larry Zbyszko did indeed coin the term "New World Order." However, Bischoff felt compelled to challenge Larry on his assertions.
âThis is interesting because there are people that I really am close to that Iâve heard tell stories and Iâm thinking, âWait a minute. That never happened, or certainly didnât happen the way youâre laying it outâ, and these are people that are really good friends of mine. In some cases, some of my best friends that are still some of my best friends, and I hear them and Iâm going, ugh.â
âBut Iâm not going to call them out on it because I think to some degree, theyâve started to believe it. Theyâve had enough interviews and theyâve talked to enough people and theyâre asked enough questions that they start repeating variations of the truth and build upon, as Larry did here by the fact that, you know, he did come out and use the term New World Order, and a week later, whatever it was and I used it.â
âThat part is true, but to take that kernel of truth and then build a castle on it, I think people do that just because it makes them feel good about themselves and I donât want to take that away from anybody, but I canât sit here and listen to it and not call him on it.â
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