Charlie Haas reveals the surprise creator of his impersonation gimmick

Charlie Haas told Slam Wrestling that WWE vice president of talent relations John Laurinaitis pitched the idea for his character. "John Laurinaitis came up with the (character) idea and it got relayed to the writers," Haas said.

Haas also noted that playing the character has helped him focus on the sports entertainment element of the business. "I came to realize that it's not all about wrestle, wrestle, wrestle," he continued. "It's about the entertainment. I looked at people like JBL and how long it took him to develop the JBL character. I never gave up, I knew I would succeed." To read the full interview, visit Slam Wrestling.

Powell's POV: This gimmick may have extended Haas's run in WWE. There's no telling whether he would have been among the recent releases had it not been for the impersonation concept. Interesting article.