Are the WWE's Tribute Episodes Tacky or Legitimate?

[Tenta]

Simple enough question. We've seen plenty of episodes in which the WWE will "honor" a wrestler who's recently passed away with a tribute special. Of course the most notorious case was the Chris Benoit special, but plenty have been done in similar fashion, such as Owen, and Eddie. Even Mr. McMahon himself has had a tribute show dedicated to them. Now, the main ideal of these is to celebrate the life of the wrestler, describing how they dedicated their lives to the business, and how they were such good family men, and such fantastic workers.

But beneath that lies a context of irony, deception, and pain. During the tributes, wrestlers will come on screen, sometimes not even having the dignity to break character for angles, by giving their catchphrases and adding a little something to acknowledge the passed away wrestler. I'm certain that in 1999, while the New Age Outlaws were paying tribute to Owen Hart, they could have done so without the added emphasis of saying: "And if you're not down with Owen Hart, we got two words for you; Suck It!" On that night, the only three on screen characters to break the fourth wall and give heartfelt, legitimate feelings would be Jeff Jarrett, Mick Foley, and Jerry Lawler. And for every Jerry Lawler, there was a Rock adding a "rooty poo candy ass". For every Jeff Jarrett, there was a Val Venis who, before giving his tribute to Owen Hart, couldn't break character, and had to add his trademarked "Hello Ladies". And for every Jerry Lawler, there was a Michael Cole, who chattered, almost foolishly, that "Owen would have definitely liked that match." Fuck that, Owen would have rather been at home with his family. The same can absolutely be said for Eddie Guerrero. Hearing Tazz and Michael Cole pandering as to how Eddie would have loved these matches made me cringe. Perhaps he would have, if he were alive, but unfortunately, the lifestyle in which Eddie was lived, to some extent forced by the WWE, cost Eddie Guerrrero.

Which brings me to the sobering truth. That while these specials are produced, there's perhaps a less sincere, dubious reasoning behind these tributes. That, while there is probably some sense remorse and regret over the lost life, that all of the tribute specials stand as nothing more than Public Relations grandstanding. In the light of a wrestler's death, The WWE will typically have plenty of questions to answer, such as the cause, and if the WWE had any involvement in it. When the WWE gives tribute episodes, as sentimental as they may be, there's always a twinge of need to get the focus away from the grisly nature of the wrestler's death. Now, instead of asking the needed questions as to why this had to occur, and who's to blame, wrestling fans have a memorial dedicated to that wrestler, in order to ponder the wrestler's career. We don't have to focus on the death, which would reveal horrifying truths, but rather we focus on the illustrious career, and how everyone felt about the guy. And I haven't even touched the exploitation of the matter... Parading around the boys, lifeless and shellshocked from the wrestler's death, pn the camera, and forcing them to give their sentiments on the wrestler. I know it may seem a bit negative, but these tributes are nothing more than grandstanding, to me.

So, to you, are Tribute Shows legitmate and heart warming, or shameless and tacky?

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

I think they are both. In the case of Owen's tribute show, you're right. Some people broke character and some didnt. However, I still think his tribute show was heartfelt. You could easily tell that most, if not all of the superstars were very affected by Owen's passing. The same goes for Eddie's tribute show.

Now, if Benoit didnt die. We would have seen a Mr. McMahon tribute show on RAW. That would most likely be in character the entire time. It would be shameless, and you wouldnt get the same feeling that you would while watching Owen or Eddie's tribute shows. Most likely because it would be kayfabe.

In some cases, these shows have a hell of a lot of emotion going into them, which make them very heartfelt, and very sad to watch. However, there are times where it could be shameless with no out of character moments at all.

 

[naimliss]

I hear ya all the way through, they are tributes but kayfabe so it is both. WWE is just a superhero show made for lil kids now, after tonights broadcast of raw, fuck it! I ain't 5 and I ain't their target demographic, that's why I LOVE TNA!!! But on the real, nobody cares, what about Umaga's tribute, wwe doesn't give a fuck who dies as long as ince gets his bread and all the wwe sheep bow down.YODEL

 

[WWE Manster03]

The Owen tribute I felt could of broken kayfabe a bit. Some did, as you mentioned, but most did so while still keeping their catchphrases(once again the New Age Outlaws/Val Venis were good examples of that).

Now in the case of Eddie, I legitimately think all kayfabe was broken there. 90% of the people doing their sitdowns were either crying or on the verge of tears during it. That was heartfelt..

Side Note: Namliss, what did that honestly have to do with anything? You don't like WWE. Thats fine. Don't visit the WWE section to post why you love TNA. We don't care over here. I agree that I wish there would of been a Umaga tribute, but they don't do tribute shows for performers not in the company at the time. I DO wish that they should of AT LEAST done the 10 bells before Raw went on the air as they have done for many other performers(Hawk, British Bulldog, Mr Perfect, etc)

 

[naimliss]

@WWE Manster03 I never said that I don't like wwe in general period. As far as the "wwe" section, I didn't know how to spefically post where but my post had nothing to do with tna, sure I enjoy tna more than wwe and I just gave one example. I understand they don't do the whole tribute thing for former employees as well, I just speak what I feel, as do you. R.I.P. to EVERYONE who has passed!!!

 

[bigbootydaddyV]

i think it's a little of both. Most characters who were out tried to stay in character for the show to go on because they truly believe that is what the deceased would have wanted. One character you forgot was mark henry who definitely broke during the Owen tribute. I think they are in a tough position when a current performer passes away. It would be seen as heartless to just ignore the death, and probably very impossible due to the closeness to the shows taping, most wrestlers aren't even in the frame of mind to go on. That's why the benoit tribute was what it was, that one hit them all hard since the whole family was killed and no one knew what had happened. End of the day these guys are human and so emotions do take over when losing one of the boys. I think the tributes are done well, i wish Brian Pillman had gotten one and Hawk too since they died while on the roster too. While in the ring the show does go on, but even in character they don't will give a little acknowledgment to the deceased. No story lines are furthered, no beefs are apparent, its just ppl putting on some kind of show for hte fans. and i personally love the segments where wrestlers give their true feelings and show emotion as it is genuine and a fitting tribute. If WWE was really grandstanding or profiteering from it they would sell these tributes. I personally wouldn't mind watching the owen or eddie ones again as I felt they were done well, but obviously they aren't for sale or ever will be, which is the right thing to do. Now as for the McMahon tribute, that was done in jest and to further a storyline, however, i do feel as if it took away from the real tribute shows and cheapened them in a way. I personally don't feel that death is an issue the WWE should be touching, with McMahon or Undertaker and his vegetative state now. You'd think they'd have learned with McMahon's the difference between real life and kayfabe when the two collided head on, yet, here we are again with something similar going on with Taker. Most storylines are acceptable even if they push the envelope, but to me, these are just too risky and come too close to hitting home for too many people, WWE seems like a tough business that takes its toll on its athletes and for that line to be crossed again seems more than likely to me.

 

[Gr8 One]

I hear ya all the way through, they are tributes but kayfabe so it is both. WWE is just a superhero show made for lil kids now, after tonights broadcast of raw, fuck it! I ain't 5 and I ain't their target demographic, that's why I LOVE TNA!!! But on the real, nobody cares, what about Umaga's tribute, wwe doesn't give a fuck who dies as long as ince gets his bread and all the wwe sheep bow down.YODEL

to me I don't care about the PG thing, I mean I for one thought the Attitude Era was overrated, to me I watch wrestling for the wrestling not for anything raunchy, violent or anything like that. I'm in my 30s & I remember when it was all about wrestling & some good storylines but now most of it is garbage & TNA is no different. But I actually like Smackdown more than any program but back to the WWE not caring about people, to me it's not about the tributes on TV or them paying homage to someone I like what they do as far as performers and former wrestlers who have issues with like drugs, alcohol or pain killers, they actually pay for them to get help. But no they don't advertise that everywhere cause some people would find something wrong with that. But in the end we don't know if they care about people or not just like any other big company, all we can do is get on forums and bitch about it because you have some hatred toward them.

 

[Dave]

Great thread, Tenta.

With that being said, I have to disagree with you. On both of the tribute episodes I have seen, I have been moved to tears by the subject matter. Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit may have died outside of the ring but I would agree that it is somewhat to do with the rigorous lifestyle that the WWE made them live. Maybe the WWE were indirectly connected to the deaths of both of these guys but I don’t think it is fair to say that they are just trying to avoid being blamed by just putting on one tribute show for these guys. Both of these guys and indeed Owen Hart, did so much for the business and whilst some guys just get a passing mention on a WWE show, both Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero got a full show of WWE programming dedicated to them. For me, that is a mark of respect.

I mean, the WWE is a business at the end of the day and whilst they may have time to make a tribute show for late, great legends, they cannot be expected to stop everything for them. Without the show going on, so to speak, then they are not making any money and it creates a while host of problems. However, they have given shows to some of these guys and it just shows how much they cared about them at the time of passing. I have no idea how much value a two hour Raw episode is worth to the WWE but to give that away just to give a tribute to Chris Benoit is a great mark of respect for him, I feel.

On a more personal level, I have always felt these shows to be genuinely heart warming. I sat through both of the shows and cried my eyes out thoroughly. Both of these guys were brilliant talent and Owen Hart was too. I may have been a little young but I remember my Mum talking about it as if it was the end of the world. To call it exploitation of the dead is a little wide of the mark, for me. Rather, I would say that the WWE is paying tribute to these guys in the only way that they can on screen and though it may be a little bit tacky, I have always, genuinely, found them to be a fitting tribute to some of the best in-ring talents to step foot in the WWE.

 

[The Doctor]

Tribute shows are a nice gesture that happen to have some problems, in particular the breaking character issue mentioned. In regards to the Owen show, perhaps the wrestlers were confused as to whether or not they should break it or not? If the company was clearer to them in that regard, we might not have had any "Suck It!"'s or the like.

Tribute shows are meant for PR, yes, but they're also meant to honor the dead, people that wrestlers worked side-by-side with. I don't really think there's a way to pull off a good tribute show without it seeming tacky, even if it's just a little tacky. Even if you just show some matches of the deceased, the thing just comes off as a way to make you cry.

There's no way to do a tribute show in a completely tasteful manner. They just have to do their best.

 

[Goliath Uterus]

Tribute shows, while neccesary and worthwile, do have some problems. Doc brings up an interesting point in that maybe some wrestlers aren't sure whether to break charecter. And when some wrestlers stay in charecter, it does seem a little classless and out of place.

With that being said, I'm extremely happy that WWE actually even does this instead of completely ignoring what happened. I still remember Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit's memorial shows, and I can honestly say I was teary eyed for both . So all in all, while these shows are a bit tacky because there is still a show to run, and even though kayfabe is clashing w/non the whole show, which may seem classless and rude, I believe there is a high level of sincerity and heartfelt emotion maintained throughout.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

I think some wrestlers can't really break character..im sure venis could have..but some have to keep it..e.g. Taker and Vince coming after Raw went off air to meet Flair at his farewell..thats another example...

But breaking the character or not...what the wrestlers say is from the heart...so I think it does mean something...e.g. Eddie Guerrero's...you had Big Show crying his eyes out..was that fake? i don't think so..and ReyRey as well..it was just emotional...

I think they're legitimate..but sometimes can be tacky...so Legit 80% and tacky 20%...

 

[Ferbian]

I don't see why WWE would be trying to harvest the deaths of their talent, or any talent for that matter with the small reminder that ... is dead and that they condole and respect their accomplishments with the business.

And that's what it's all about, respect, WWE is paying the respect to the wrestlers, they broke a storyline about Vince McMahon for the sake of respecting Chris Benoit, they had heels breaking kayfabe to pay honor to a face (Eddie Guerrero) and that is really what WWE, hell anybody for that sake should be paying those respects for what they have done to accomplish things in the business.

They put their lives on the line for the business, and they did it to entertain the fans, something that brought in money, I wasn't a fan around the Guerrero and Benoit tribute shows, but I have the Eddie Guerrero ones at least, and I thought it was heartfelt and well deserved, and I respected WWE for doing that.

So I do find them legitimate.

 

[Dan E. Inferno]

I definitely feel that tribute episodes are made for legimate reasons. As Tenta pointed out with the Owen Hart tribute show, there could be an arguement for kayfable to be completely broken for the better cause. But, I don't think it's such a big deal if Venis wants to throw a "Hello Ladies" out there during his tribute. I'm sure the emotions of losing a friend and fellow wrestler were completely genuine, as I'm sure was the tribute itself. I think that can be said for anyone who showed their respect to Owen that night, whether they broke the fourth wall or not.

I wasn't a fan back then, so I never saw that show live. But, I did see Eddie's and Benoit's tribute shows and I have to say that they completely moved me to tears. During that show, you could feel all the wrestlers, all the crew members and anyone who was there in the crowd hurting at the loss of Eddie. The image of The Big Show coming to the ring in tears will never leave me. The image of HBK hugging Rey after their match will never leave me. I could almost feel their emotions coming through the TV screen.

Sure, the fourth wall remains throughout, but I can understand that because, at the end of the day, WWE do have storlylines and characters that have to get straight back in their routine the very next week. It may not be morally right, but I do understand it. So, I genuinely believe that the tribute shows that WWE put on are legitimate and are done to pay respect to a guy who gave their all to the company and the industry as a whole.

 

[I Suck Ass]

I wasn't a fan for the Owen or Eddie tributes, but I did see part of the Eddie tribute on the Best of SD! DVD. It seemed like Rey, Batista, Big Show, and just about everyone was deeply saddened by it. I think that tributes shows are quite legit.

 

[Super Crazy]

Here is the one thing I do not get about the tribute shows. The WWE did a tribute show for Chris Benoit did they not? Yet now, they do everything they can to avoid even a small mention of his name. If you are going to pay tribute to a wrestler, continue to pay respect to him throughout the rest of your life, don't do it on one night and then pretend like the man never even existed. I realize what happened with him was wrong, but I mean he was a great wrestler, one of the best I'd seen in his time to be quite honest.

Tribute shows are good though in that you get to see a bit of the real person behind the wrestler, and see their real emotions when they break kayfabe. I believe the shows are legitimate. I mean the wrestlers put their lives on the line in that ring just to entertain us , so the least the WWE can do back is pay their respects with a tribute to the wrestler. Like I said though, I find it distasteful that years later they do not want to make any mention of Chris Benoit.

 

[bigbootydaddyV]

Here is the one thing I do not get about the tribute shows. The WWE did a tribute show for Chris Benoit did they not? Yet now, they do everything they can to avoid even a small mention of his name. If you are going to pay tribute to a wrestler, continue to pay respect to him throughout the rest of your life, don't do it on one night and then pretend like the man never even existed. I realize what happened with him was wrong, but I mean he was a great wrestler, one of the best I'd seen in his time to be quite honest.

Tribute shows are good though in that you get to see a bit of the real person behind the wrestler, and see their real emotions when they break kayfabe. I believe the shows are legitimate. I mean the wrestlers put their lives on the line in that ring just to entertain us , so the least the WWE can do back is pay their respects with a tribute to the wrestler. Like I said though, I find it distasteful that years later they do not want to make any mention of Chris Benoit.

The reason they don't mention him at all anymore despite the tribute is because the tribute was done BEFORE they found out what exactly happened. At the time they thought it was a triple homicide, which is why the wrestlers were all too distraught to perform at all. Once details came out and it turned out to be murder suicide the WWE took a lot of heat for paying tribute to him. Had it been apparent from the get go it was murder suicide the show would probably have still been cancelled as i'm sure the wrestlers would have been shocked, but what would have aired would have been some other DVD or ppv replay or something. My question now is though, given what happened with Benoit, what is going to happen the next time a performer dies??? Are they going to do the tribute show again? Or did the benoit fiasco sour them on the whole thing?

 

[Stone_Cold_Randy_Orton]

I believe the WWE does memorials for grandstanding. They are heartless when it comes to these matters. Because you'd have to ask "Whats the point of them?" Tribute to the Troops. Is that done for profit? Does the WWE make money off of it? No. Rather its done for the audience. But what does WWE and the Army have in common? Nothing. Its obviously being done for the sake of coming across as a good company. I won't say WWE doesn't care, but wrestling is wrestling. It's cheap entertainment. Its kinda like giving props to the exotic dancers who go to the Army to give them entertainment. Its not exactly respectful, it's just a kind gesture.

During the memorial for Eddie they had everyone come out and then shoved a camera in their face. What does showing people cry do? What do you gain from that? OK, we get their grieving, that's why they have their vid segments to talk briefly, but why show them crying? And then they panned to the audience and showed them crying. One girl I remember noticed she was on the screen and looked at her friend like "What do I do?" Its obviously embarrassing and usually when people are on screen their happy and try to wave. In this situation its completely the opposite of what you want. Then they have the tribute music videos. That to me is a a heartless joke. I understand montages or tribute vids but when you do that for wrestlers you don't show wrestling clips like its a promo except added heart felt music. Its like their celebrating the "wrestler's" life and not the actual person.

And notice the memorial continues with the wrestler's most meaningful matches. OK, this can go both ways but hear me out on this way. The second way is saying they do this merely for the sake of capitalizing on the wrestler's passing by showing his best matches because after that night it most likely won't be seen. While that does sound like a bad idea and something they won't "obviously" do it for, you'd have to wonder that being a tribute show, why are you showing wrestling videos as if that person's life is summed up in wrestling? That to me means they are celebrating his career rather than his life. Its something you'd expect them to do for a retirement, not a death. But because this is one option and the other option is "How else does WWE tribute a person without highlighting their life in the WWE?" you can see it go either way. We never really know what the WWE is trying to do. But it my opinion its odd to give a tribute and have the entire locker room join in when for other guys like Umaga or someone who had a short tenor with the WWE they don't even get mentioned. That to me shows hierarchy and not good intention when giving tributes. It shows its done to please the audience and not dependent on who it is. For example, I'll let you decide, when two of the following men die, who will be given a tribute: Steve Austin or Carlito. Its way obvious and you know its true. Being the case I can't completely be assured the WWE does these tributes without hidden agendas.

Yes, you can say its their way of being kind but to me it seems like it's "WWE is the only place where this guy is known so when we celebrate his life we're not going to celebrate his real life just his wrestling life because no ones cares about his real life since no one knew him and that after this tribute he'll never be mentioned again and he'll be forever remembered as 'that wrestler who died'".