Bruce Prichard

==== ''The Brother Love Show'' (1988–1991) ====
In June 1988, Prichard debuted as "Brother Love", a red-faced, smarmy, dishonest, effusive and boisterous "preacher" character, dressed in a conspicuous white suit, tight red shirt and white tie, who claimed to preach not the word of [[God]], but "the word of ''love''." He was best known for his disingenuous catchphrase "''I love you''!",<ref name=Encyclopedia>{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/47 47]|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley|DK]]|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/47}}</ref> during which he would enunciate each word with exaggerated [[prolongation]]s in a thick [[drawl|Southern accent]]. The character was inspired by controversial [[televangelism|televangelists]] of the time, with Prichard specifically citing [[Robert Tilton]] as his most direct inspiration.<ref>{{cite book|title=André the Giant: A Legendary Life|last=Krugman|first=Michael|page=225|publisher=[[Pocket Books]]|year=2009|isbn=978-1-4165-4112-7}}</ref> However, shortly after the character debuted, similarities were also noted between Brother Love and controversial pastor [[Jimmy Swaggart]]'s style of preaching.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19881028&id=0vAvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=A_wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1086,7233545|title=Wrestlers having grudge match|publisher=Lakeland Ledger|date=October 28, 1988|access-date=December 2, 2021}}</ref> Though Prichard has credited Tilton as the main inspiration for the Brother Love character, he has also credited Swaggart, [[Jim Bakker]] and even [[Oral Roberts]] as inspirations for the character as well.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/culture/main/article/Bruce-Prichard-shares-stories-from-the-wrestling-12363814.php|title=Bruce Prichard shares stories from the wrestling ring in popular podcast|first=Andrew|last=Dansby|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=November 16, 2017|accessdate=December 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P0ACIRRG7w|title=Bruce Prichard shoots on the creation of the Brother Love character|author=Something to Wrestling With Bruce Prichard|publisher=YouTube|date=May 22, 2018|accessdate=December 2, 2021}}</ref> Months before Brother Love debuted, Swaggart and Bakker were involved in controversial scandals which tarnished their public images and resulted in networks cancelling their television shows.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1988/02/25/jimmy-swaggart-and-the-snare-of-sin/d07127d2-c412-4738-98d9-3b186d1b92f9/|title=Jimmy And The Snare Of Sin|first=Art|last=Harris|newspaper=Washington Post|date=February 25, 1988|accessdate=December 2, 2021}}</ref> Introduced to the WWF by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Love hosted a segment on the [[World Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation]]'s [[television syndication|syndicated]] and cable television programs called ''"The Brother Love Show"'', in which he would interview wrestlers. The segment debuted on the June 19, 1988 airing of ''[[WWF Wrestling Challenge|Wrestling Challenge]]'', and would be "promoted" to the WWF's "A-show", ''[[WWF Superstars of Wrestling|Superstars of Wrestling]]'', first appearing on the October 8, 1988 edition.

The segment was patterned largely after [[Roddy Piper|Piper's Pit]],<ref name=Encyclopedia/> where Brother Love would berate [[face (professional wrestling)|face]] wrestlers (especially [[Hulk Hogan]] and the [[Warrior (wrestler)|Ultimate Warrior]]) and openly support such [[heel (professional wrestling)|heels]] as [[Ted DiBiase|"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase]] and Bobby Heenan. It was explained that DiBiase was Brother Love's main "[[benefactor (law)|benefactor]]". More than once, a wrestling [[feud (professional wrestling)|feud]] was set up because of what occurred on "The Brother Love Show" (including Hulk Hogan's feuds vs. [[Big Boss Man (wrestler)|Big Boss Man]] (1988–1989) and [[John Tenta|Earthquake]] (1990),<ref name=Encyclopedia/> and the [[Jake Roberts]]-[[Rick Martel]] feud from late 1990 to early 1991). The Brother Love Show was also the setting for the unveiling of Ted DiBiase's [[Million Dollar Championship]] belt and Rick Martel's "Arrogance" cologne. Brother Love made his [[pay-per-view]] debut at the [[SummerSlam 1988|inaugural]] [[SummerSlam]] event in 1988 at Madison Square Garden when he interviewed face wrestler [[Jim Duggan|"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan]]. He later featured prominently in [[WrestleMania V]] in 1989 where [[Rowdy Roddy Piper]] in his first appearance in the WWF since his 'retirement" after [[WrestleMania III]], "de-skirted" Brother Love of his "[[kilt]]" after taking over ''Piper's Pit''. A year later, [[Sgt. Slaughter]] bestowed a medal upon Brother Love during [[SummerSlam (1990)|SummerSlam]] for being the "greatest American".

Occasionally, Brother Love provided color commentary for the WWF's televised events; unlike during his early WWF run under his real name and using his natural voice (as Prichard), where he was pro-face, Brother Love was pro heel. His most famous assignment was alongside [[Sean Mooney]] for the WWF's televised event at Madison Square Garden on January 21, 1991, where he was roughed up by the Ultimate Warrior on his way to the ring to face [[Randy Savage|"Macho Man" Randy Savage]] in a steel cage just two days after Savage had caused the Warrior to lose the [[WWF World Heavyweight Championship]] to Sgt. Slaughter at the [[Royal Rumble (1991)|Royal Rumble]]. In a 2016 podcast with [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]], Prichard recalled that he had long been a fan of evangelist preachers, more for their theatrics than their religion. When Prichard first pitched the idea of Brother Love to WWF owner [[Vince McMahon]], Vince generally liked the idea but did not believe that Prichard "had the face" for the role. Determined to get himself into the role that he had created, Prichard, dressed as Brother Love (minus the red face paint he would appear on television with), invaded a meeting at the WWF's headquarters between McMahon, the head of WWF International and the WWF's chief financial officer. 

While there, he gave an impromptu two minute sermon before quickly departing. When he arrived back at his office at the WWF's television studios five minutes later, he discovered that he had two missed calls from McMahon who he was relieved to find had liked what he had seen. However, Vince wanted to see how it worked on camera. Thus, the Brother Love character became a reality. Prichard also told that the bright red face make up was unknown to him the first time he appeared on television as Brother Love. As it was a television taping, Prichard thought it was just normal make up being applied and he did not look in the mirror, not knowing that Vince McMahon had ordered that he be given the red face.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx0t_0KzpNU Bruce Prichard on the Brother Love Gimmick]</ref>