My name is Johnny Willis. You might remember me as Banjo, Tad's annoying but loveable best friend on the short-lived but immensely popular 90s dramady
Just the Three of Us
. I have had bit roles in movies, on TV, and even in commercials since then, but I never made it back to prime time television as an actor. I went to college and majored in English on a Creative Writing track while taking Cinema classes as well. I hoped to return to Hollywood as a writer or director, if nothing else. I got a few gigs, but nothing that lasted very long.
I saw an ad from World Wrestling Entertainment scouting writers. I was an avid fan, and I thought the women were really hot, but there were none hotter, in my opinion, than Stephanie McMahon. I kidded myself that if I could land a job with WWE, then maybe my dream of making love to her could come true. Realistically, I wasn't too hopeful, but if I played things just right, who was to say I wouldn't?
I received a call for an interview, and lucky for me the guy conducting it not only remembered the show, but he was a huge Banjo fan. He hired me on the spot. He told me that I would be working on Monday Night Raw, then took me to meet the other writers. They were all too young to know who I was, which was great, as far as I was concerned, as I was counting on a certain amount of anonymity for my plan to be with Stephanie to reach fruition.
As part of the job, I had to travel wherever Raw was being taped. This was great as it allowed me to travel to parts of the country I had never before been. It wasn't until my third week as an employee that the opportunity to meet Stephanie presented itself. She walked into the designated writer's lounge and greeted everyone. "I hear we have someone new on our staff. Where is he?"
Just as she had entered, I surreptitiously made my way to the door. By the time she was asking about me, I was walking out it. I heard one of the other writers say, "That was him. Johnny Willis." I continued down one hall, then another, and slowly made my way back to the lounge, where Willie Cruddup, the guy who had told Stephanie my name, said, "Steph really wanted to meet you."
"Yeah, restroom," I responded, then took my seat as we continued to bounce ideas off one another. I saw her late into the show, but ducked out of sight before she saw me.
The following week, Walter Vistleโanother writerโand I were walking down the hallway of the Staples center in Los Angeles when he said, "Oh, there's Stephanie. Have you met her yet?"
"No," I answered.
"Well, now's the perfect time," he said, and called out to her. As she approached, he said, "Stephanie, this is Johnnyโ" but then he began to look around. "Where the hell did he go?"
I had ducked behind some large transport crates.
"Is this the same guy I was supposed to meet last week?" Stephanie asked.
"Yeah. I don't know what could have happened to him."
"Well, let me know when you find him," she instructed. "I'd like to hear some of his ideas for the next round of storylines."
She walked away, and I waited fifteen seconds before making my way back to Walter.
"Where did you go?"
"Someone called me. Didn't you hear?"
"No. Who was it?"
"Jason Jordan. He was wondering when the storyline involving Kurt's disdain toward him would come to a head."
"What did you tell him?"
"More than likely around the Royal Rumble, thus setting up a match at WrestleMania."
"Yeah, but this is how we need to handle that," Walter said as we began walking through the backstage area once more. I listened to him, but more importantly, I had successfully avoided Stephanie the remainder of the evening.
The following week, I was drinking a cup of coffee while talking to Sheamus and Cesaro about their upcoming match against The Shield when Stephanie popped up out of nowhere. When I saw her, I immediately cast my eyes to the floor.
"Are you Johnny Willis?" she asked me.
"Yes, ma'am," I answered, never looking at her. Sheamus and Cesaro said they would talk to me later, then departed.
"I have been trying to meet you for three weeks now."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Are you going to look at me when I speak to you?"
"No, ma'am."
"NoโWhat do you mean, no?" Just then her phone rang. She slightly turned as she answered it. I got the hell away from her as quickly as I could. As I rounded a corner, I heard her say, "Where the hell is Johnny Willis?"
It was all I could do to remain hidden from her sight the remainder of the evening, but I was successful. I left as quickly as possible, catching a ride with a couple of undercard talent.
At the following week's RAW taping, as I entered the United Center in Chicago, two security officers quickly met me and escorted me to a room, completely ignoring my questions of "What?" and "Why?" They closed the door behind me, and when I opened it, I saw the pair standing guard. I closed it and sat on a chair. A few minutes later, the door opened, and someone said to the guards, "You can leave now." Stephanie McMahon walked in and stopped barely a foot in front of me. When I saw her enter, I immediately cast my eyes to the floor.
"Why have you been avoiding me?" I said nothing. "Do you have a problem with me?"
"No, ma'am."
"Then why do you keep disrespecting me?"
"It's not disrespect, ma'am."
"You are disrespecting me right now. Look at me when I talk to you."
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I can't."
"
Can't
, or
won't
?"
"Ma'am, please. I ... I simply can't."
"I'm going to make this real easy for you, then: You either look at me, or you're fired."
"I understand, ma'am. I will vacate the premises at once."
"What did you just say?" I remained silent. "Are you telling me that you are willing to lose your job because you cannot do something as simple as look at me?"
"Ma'am, it's not that I
will
not, but I
can
not. You believe this to be a simple matter, but it transcends simplicity. I simply cannot look upon your face."
"Why?"
"I'm not worthy, ma'am."