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'{{short description|television program}} {{Infobox television |name = WWF Shotgun Saturday Night |image = Wwfshotgunsat.png |creator = [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]] |starring = |country = United States |network= [[Broadcast syndication|Syndicated]] |runtime = 60 minutes |first_aired = {{start date|1997|1|4}} |last_aired = {{end date|1999|8|21}} |followed_by = ''[[WWF Jakked/Metal]]'' <small>(1999–2002)</small> |num_episodes = 62 |website = http://www.wwe.com }} '''''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night''''' is a [[professional wrestling]] [[television program]] that was produced by the [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF). It aired from January 4, 1997 through August 21, 1999 as a [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated broadcast]]. ''Shotgun Saturday Night'' was replaced by ''[[WWF Jakked/Metal|WWF Jakked]]'' in 1999. ==History== The show's original concept was unusual for its time; it aired on late Saturday nights from various [[New York City]] nightlife locations. The promotion pushed the program as an "edgier" product than its normal weekly offerings.<ref name=Encyclopedia>{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/96 96]|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley|DK]]|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/96}}</ref> ''Shotgun Saturday Night'' debuted on January 4, 1997 from the Mirage Nightclub in New York. One of the most memorable moments of the debut episode occurred when [[Terri Runnels|Marlena]] climbed on the ring apron during a match between [[Dustin Rhodes|Goldust]] and [[Solofa Fatu|The Sultan]], and removed her top, causing the Sultan to be distracted and lose the match. Though she was wearing [[pasties]], and though her back was facing the camera, this incident was a precursor [[The Attitude Era|for the tone of WWF programming for the next several years]]. Later episodes of ''Shotgun Saturday Night'' were broadcast from the [[All-Star Cafe]] in [[Times Square]], the Mirage Nightclub in [[Manhattan]], and [[New York Penn Station]]. There were several unique elements to the show that did not appear on any other WWF programming at the time. For example, due to the confining nature of the locales it was initially broadcast from, ''Shotgun Saturday Night'' used a somewhat smaller ring than a standard 20-foot by 20-foot WWF ring. All three ring ropes were taped yellow; something that was not replicated until ''[[WWE NXT (TV series)|NXT]]'' debuted in 2010. Shortly after the show's debut, the nightclub theme was dropped and the show's matches began being taped in an arena before or after the live [[Monday Night Raw]] show. It soon replaced [[WWF Superstars of Wrestling]] as the 'B' Show, being used to recap the now two-hour Raw show with original matches featuring lower-level talent. The show originally featured commentary by [[Vince McMahon]] and [[Tammy Lynn Sytch|Sunny]], with [[Jim Ross]] and [[Brian Pillman]] performing the same duties until mid-1997, when Pillman was pulled from commentary after beating up a [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Plant|(planted) fan]] on the June 28, 1997 episode.<ref name=WWF9099Book>{{cite book | first=Graham | last=Cawthon | title=the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 2: WWF 1990 - 1999 | publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform | year= 2013 | asin=B00RWUNSRS}}</ref> [[Kevin Kelly (announcer)|Kevin Kelly]], [[Michael Cole (wrestling)|Michael Cole]], [[Jim Cornette]] and [[Vince Russo]] also served as commentators. [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] also served as a surprise guest commentator on one episode along with [[Owen Hart]]. ==Alternate versions== The WWF also aired a similar syndicated show at the time called ''WWF Shotgun Challenge'', which aired in earlier time slots (replacing ''[[WWF Wrestling Challenge|WWF Challenge]]'') and was more family-friendly. This version of the show was later renamed simply ''WWF Shotgun'' and ultimately replaced with ''[[WWE Jakked/Metal|WWF Metal]]'' in 1999. These shows were initially aired on [[WLUK-TV]] in the Wisconsin market, between the area of [[Stevens Point, Wisconsin|Steven's Point]] and [[Plover, Wisconsin|Plover]] to [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]] and [[Appleton, Wisconsin|Appleton]]. In January 1999, ''WWF Shotgun'' would air on [[WCCT-TV]] in Connecticut and [[WLNY]] in Long Island.<ref>https://lostmediawiki.com/WWF_Shotgun_(partially_found_July_to_December_season_of_syndicated_wrestling_show;_1997)</ref> From 1997 until 1999, matches from ''WWF Shotgun'' were aired on the international version of ''[[WWF Superstars]]'' with commentary by Michael Cole and Kevin Kelly, and in January 1999, Gorilla Monsoon joined them. In the Canadian market, which had the same presentation as the Wisconsin market, the commentary was by [[Ray Rougeau]] and [[Tom Prichard]]. In the New York [[media market]], the show was rebranded as ''WWF New York'' in [[1997 in television|1997]] and [[1998 in television|1998]], airing on [[WPIX]] and [[WPXN-TV]], and later [[WLNY]]. It was shown late at night, airing at 2:00&nbsp;a.m., Eastern time (WPXN aired the series on Saturday mornings). On February 7, 1998,<ref>https://www.angelfire.com/mo/stewie/oldstuff/11alive.html</ref> the WWF aired ''11:Alive'' which aired the matches in the same order as ''WWF New York'', but with different commentary that made fewer references to New York.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta0tVZMhmFQ</ref> The show aired on Saturday mornings and only ran for two months before being discontinued. The final episode was [[Sports commentator|hosted]] by [[Michael Hayes (wrestler)|Michael Hayes]] as a preview show to [[WrestleMania XIV]]. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{Former WWE programs}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Wwf Shotgun Saturday Night}} [[Category:1997 American television series debuts]] [[Category:1999 American television series endings]] [[Category:First-run syndicated television programs in the United States]] [[Category:Television series by WWE|Shotgun Saturday Night]]'