During an interview with Richard Deitsch for Sports Media, Paul Heyman talked about wrestling events without fans in attendance:
“Last year’s WrestleMania the main event was Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre. When Brock and I came out to the ring I said to Brock ‘I can’t denounce you.’ That was our schtick. I couldn’t do it, because my dance partner wasn’t there. And my dance partner was the audience. I didn’t realize it till we were halfway down the aisle to the ring. This is going to get me in trouble with WWE but so be it, it’s the difference between sex and masturbation. Sex is with someone and it’s wonderful, it’s intimate and it’s give and take. And masturbation is by yourself.”
“I just couldn’t bring myself to pick up the mic and do that schtick without the audience there with me. Because that introduction was every bit as much about the audience doing it as it was about me doing it. And without them I’m just by myself. I didn’t feel it, I didn’t like it, I didn’t want it. And I couldn’t do it.”
