Eric Bischoff Addresses Backstage Reaction To Booker T’s Infamous WCW Promo

During the 1997 WCW Spring Stampede pay-per-view, Booker T cut a backstage promo where he inadvertently used a racial slur while addressing “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan. He immediately reacted to his mistake, and though the moment passed at the time, it later went viral years after the event.

While speaking on his podcast, Eric Bischoff was asked about the backstage reaction to Booker T’s promo. Bischoff noted that there was little immediate fallout at the time.

“Back then, I didn’t hear a word from Time Warner. I didn’t hear a word from the audience. There may have been some people who wrote in and some who were offended. Believe me, I’m sensitive to that, even to this day. I’m not suggesting that people weren’t; I’m just telling you it wasn’t even a blip on the radar. It would be today—people’s hair would catch fire, and depending on your point of view, rightfully so. It was a different time, and that’s a perfect example of that.”