Carlito: Justifiably Angry Or Bitter Addict?

[Jack-Hammer]

Yesterday on Twitter, Carlito responded to a tweet asking him why he was suddenly removed from WWE television in late 2009. Carlito's response was:

""Ha, I was off tv in late 2009 bc I was sent on a lil "sabbatical"....and by "sabbatical" I mean I was sent 2 a rehab facility 4 a few days 2 b evaluated. I passed, they said I wasn't An addict. Then I was sent 2 a psychiatrist...a waste of time! Then they kept me at home bc they felt a was very angry at work! I was!"

Carlito was also asked if the WWE asked him what the problem was and he said: "They asked, I told them but I think they thought that drugs was the problem. All I wanted was 2 stop getting f*d every week."

While we can't know all the details of what went on backstage during Carlito's time in the WWE, this sounds like a similar tune that I've heard from inmates incarcerated for drug usage. Carlito has reportedly had issues with drug use in the past, we'll probably ultimately never know the severity of these problems as we don't know the guy. However, I've heard the "Yeah, I do drugs but it's actually other stuff causing the problems in my life" bit many times and that's the vibe I'm getting from this statement. Not to say that Carlito probably had reason to be angry at times, but I just get the feeling that Carlito is shirking the responsibility he bears for his problems in the WWE and is trying to lay it all on the WWE based on those tweets.

 

[Bill Lesnar]

Hmmm Bill Lesnar does not know all the details in Caritos' personal problems, however if Drug use was the case for his release then Vince is fully justified in his decision as Drug use is the worst possible promotion for wrestling and gives people bad ideas becase drugs are harmful

 

[Midcard Fame]

Maybe a bit of both. I have to be honest with myself and admit I do have a bit of an attitude problem when it comes to my superiors at work. Now, I can blame the inefficiencies of my performance on them or on poor job class training but I can also take the blame myself, and at times it might be entirely their fault at others mine, but a lot of the time it could be both. It could be based on both mine and my employers short-sighted-ness not to foresee a problem and take the proper steps to ensure that either it doesn't happen or could be quickly rectified when it does. So, while I do think at times he was slow to admit he had a problem, which his family has publicly announced that he did and was worked on. He does have a reason to be justifiably mad as any employee of a large company does mainly due to the size of the company. And I also feel that WWE has to cater to their talent due to the fact that they are just that, talent, they are individualized and molded to make money, so the corporation itself should take some sort of liability when it comes to treatment of talent because it is in their best interest to keep the talent happy and in working condition.

 

[DeathClutch]

In fairness Carlito is talented and deserved better then what he was offered, when he had opportunities he squandered them, example Colon Brothers being the first Unified Tag team champions, Carlito never stepped up his game.

It's a two way thing, WWE messed with him because he wasn't doing his job to the best of his ability. I always thought he should of returned to his 2004-2005 persona and Carlito would of stepped up, just my opinion.

 

[Wade's Public Transit Bomb]

I am going with the latter. Carlito just seems like some boy who got pissed that his rich Daddy got him a Corvette instead of a Porsche. I just don't see why so many people wanted to see this guy get pushed. He wasn't that good in the ring, no matter what style they asked him to do. He looked high all the time, and it wasn't just because of the afro. He just looked like he didn't care. And when he wasn't pushed, his matches REALLY were bad.

When they tried to back in 2006-2007 to boost his morale by putting him with Trish Stratus (someone a lot of guys would give a testicle or two for), he was still whiny. Then they put him with Flair and Torrie Wilson.

 

[darbare]

the thing with Carlito is that he may be a little spoiled.....he may be, but he has said it himself that he always wanted to be heel.....why couldnt WWE let him be heel for a long time I dont know.....maybe someone wanted to urk him and see what would happen, and now we all have seen it......they tried to say he was a drug addict....I personally dont believe this bull....anyone who is getting misused might react under circumstances none of us can possibly fathom...I mean this is their livelihood, and to make them waste it is pointless.....sure alot of you may reply and be like. "well darbare, why didnt he just quit.....well he did the next best thing in his mind..none of us can truly understand the full story but what comes from Carlito.....WWE has decided to label him a druggie which isnt cool.....I think in this situation you have to look at all the facts and realize Carlito was underutilized like crazy....

 

[Kenny Powers]

He sounds pretty bitter to me. He was acting up the whole time in WWE and was on drugs most of the time. WWE offered for him to go to rehab countless times and he wouldn't budge. He was in a bad mood trying to get fired constantly in the WWE. What did he expect? did he think the WWE was going to push him to the main event for acting like a spoiled child? At least he won the IC title and tag team titles. His career wasn't great, but at least he had one in WWE after all of his shenanigans.

 

[Zigglerfan227]

You know, I cannot say what Carlito meant by that because I do not know him. However, I feel that if he was released for doing drugs then that is a justified cause.

I was a huge fan of Carlito as a wrestler. I don't know him personally but as a wrestling character he was awesome. I credit Carlito as my first favorite wrestler and perhaps the reason I started watching wrestling. I do not know why I liked him so much, I just thought he was very entertaining and underrated. In the years of 2005-2007 he was at his best. He was a main eventer, he had a great gimmick, and he even had his own tv segment (Carlito's Casa). Around 2008 he started to slip into obsurity. He still had great matches but was overlooked because he did not accomplish anything. In 2009 he teamed with his dear brother Primo and became a succesful tag-team. I was very happy to see him win the tag titles and to be cheered for by the fans. After his tag-team run he fell back into obscurity. This was around late 2009 to May 2010. It was during this time that his in ring work became a bit stale. Yes, I am a huge fan of his and I enjoyed him nonetheless, but I will say that he seemed to not care much for what he was doing at that time. Then the day came when he was released. I was angry and sad but I got over it because I'm a big boy (lol!).

But anyway, I think Carlito could have been used better if he had cared and if WWE had cared. Perhaps Carlito started to not care because WWE did not care. idk.

 

[Chris Kennedy Himself]

I'll say bitter addict because they are ALWAYS justifiably angry (in their own heads) when someone tries to take away there drugs...

Such a shame too because Carlito is pretty talented.

 

[Mustang Sally]

the thing with Carlito is that he may be a little spoiled.....he may be, but he has said it himself that he always wanted to be heel.....why couldnt WWE let him be heel for a long time I dont know

Perhaps it was because in the scope of what they were doing as a company, they needed him to be a face. From what we read (and however much of that was true) he wanted this and he wanted that: he wanted to be a heel, he wanted to be a champion, he wanted a say in how his character would be portrayed. All of that is very nice, of course, if the company is going to indulge Carlito before they worry about anyone else.

Meanwhile, he proved himself unworthy of all the things he wanted by staying away from the gym, performing in an indifferent style.....and, according to reports, being angry a good deal of the time. When you work closely with the same people on a continuous basis, that becomes old in a hurry.

Still, the company didn't seem to want to punish him. Instead, they quietly sent him to rehab and therapy and tried to get him out of whatever he was in. Actions like that make me wonder if he was much more seriously into substance abuse than we ever heard. And in the end, none of it worked; he cared only about himself.

I'm glad he's gone. A performer who overvalues himself that much is a drain on the company.

 

[The Holy One]

It screams nothing but a bitter addict. This man was given way too many opporotunities which I think was quite undeserving. All the time he was saying how he wanted this and that. He never did anything that deserved the WWE to listen to his opinion. Carlito beat JOHN CENA in his debut in the WWE and won the U.S. title. This should had been able to propell him to being one of the top heels on SD but he never did anything to capitilize on the the heat that was given to him. He won the IC title on his first night of being drated to Raw still did nothing of any value. He was put into programs against Cena, Orton, Big Show, Kane, Ric Flair, Torrie Wilson, Trish Stratus. To say he wasn't given a chance is just wrong. If Carlio actually showed that he cared about the opporotunites he was given, and not waste it on complaining and doing drugs. Then maybe he could have been something in the WWE. It's his loss that he wasn't able to improve at all and the WWE can't be blamed for that.

 

[Blade]

Bitter addict. The guy got everything handed to him without ever showing that he had main event potential, he just claimed he had main event talent. He got the US title on his first night at a time when the US title had pretty major credibility thanks to John Cena's reign. He was eliminated last in an Elimination chamber match that featured Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle and Kane (all better than Carlito is) and they all got eliminated before him. He then got intercontinental titles and tag titles. Now, if even some of the reports are to be believed, the guy was never happy. He was paired with hot divas and given feuds with wrestlers far more talented than he is and they made him look great. But no, he still had issues with pain killers and such and he supposedly wanted complete creative control over his character.

Now, I'm not saying wanting creative control over your character is a bad thing. If his book is to be believed, Jericho has creative control over his character. But Jericho was a main eventer in Mexico, had many MOTN's in Japan and managed to get very over in WCW with little to know help from the bookers. Carlito has done fuck all, maybe he's done a bit of wrestling in his dad's promotion, whatever. But he did not deserve what he asked for. So yeah, I say bitter addict.

 

[Tha Wolfpac]

As talented as Carlito is, he is lazy and just push and motivate him self to succeed. This guy started successful and then slowly eased into just a generic guy that hardly anyone cared about. He debuted and won the US title off of John Cena. He was groomed for success on Smackdown, he even feuded with Ric Flair opportunities were there but he didnt show up, at the top of his game and show his true potential. Carlito wants things his way always and that is his major problem.

 

[Deexter Jorgan]

Perhaps it was because in the scope of what they were doing as a company, they needed him to be a face. From what we read (and however much of that was true) he wanted this and he wanted that: he wanted to be a heel, he wanted to be a champion, he wanted a say in how his character would be portrayed. All of that is very nice, of course, if the company is going to indulge Carlito before they worry about anyone else.

Meanwhile, he proved himself unworthy of all the things he wanted by staying away from the gym, performing in an indifferent style.....and, according to reports, being angry a good deal of the time. When you work closely with the same people on a continuous basis, that becomes old in a hurry.

Still, the company didn't seem to want to punish him. Instead, they quietly sent him to rehab and therapy and tried to get him out of whatever he was in. Actions like that make me wonder if he was much more seriously into substance abuse than we ever heard. And in the end, none of it worked; he cared only about himself.

I'm glad he's gone. A performer who overvalues himself that much is a drain on the company.

Sally paints a rather distrubing picture of Carlito, infact every word is warranted.

For someone who was given one of the biggest opportunities that the company had to offer, he sure as hell wanted nothing to do with that opportunity unless it involved gold, or a PPV main event.

The fact that he's smearing the WWE's name in order to promote himself should be proof of his inability to work with others, I for one am glad he's gone, like Sally said the guy is a drain on the business in general.

Carlito believed in his own hype and did whatever he could do to get released which is sad IMO, he was on good money, he was recognised everywhere he went, he even got a chance to work with Rick Flair, what more does he want?.

Is he a druggy?, probably, the fact that he can't even admit to having a problem shows that he may have deeper issues, unless the guy can sort out his own personal demons I doubt he will be of any use to anyone, including his own father whose relationship with the WWE may go south because of his idiotic Son.

 

[CyDeez]

Who knows when we will find out the whole story. OR when will we find out that we maybe already do?! Maybe one side of what has been said was completely accurate.

It sucks is all I have to say. I think he is justified in the fact he was angry at work. Let's be honest here, he is probably one of the most talented and even decorated jobbers ever. LOL...

Carlito won The US Title from John Cena in his first match ever in WWE on SmackDown! Then later on he won The IC Title in his first match ever on Raw. Carlito, with his brother Primo, held The Undisputed Tag Team Titles for quite a while.

But all we began to see every week (it wasn't even every week that he was on the show) is him lose. When he would be seen in promos and backstage, it was like a Goldust thing or something, where they have those weird moments and eventually Ron Simmons would come in and say Damn! to break up the nonsense.

Without Simmons of course, but it had that joke feeling in the air. Him and Chris Masters.

I think Carlito knows he was better than what he was being given in WWE and was sick of it.

I am not saying he didn't do drugs or wasn't a dick backstage. I have no idea what the fuck was going on.

BUT, all I am saying is whatever the fall out was with WWE and why they never pushed him in the Main Event sucks, simply because I thought he was good, and had the talent with one solid push, to be GREAT!

 

[harrythem]

He comes across as bitter to me but, like has been said, he seems to have justified his bitterness in his head. What pisses me off most about him is that not only was he a waste on tv because of his attitude, but he screwed his own brother over at the same time. I seriously think if Carlito hadn't been such a cunt then they'd have probably kept him teaming with Primo for a lot longer and Primo wouldn't been in the crapper.

 

[LigerBomb]

I really can't speak to the fact that he may've been an addict—though he certainly sounds like it—but he was a major douche. That much is for certain. As far as I know, and from all the dirt that leaked about him, he's got nothing to be justifyable agry about as he was the "victim" of his own arrogance and negative work ethic.

The guy was clearly a grade A mark for himself and even after growing up around the business never quite "got it". It's laughable and quite pathetic that he thought the best thing to do was act like a brat and try to get fired (so he could run home to Daddy and be a big fish in an Oh so teeny tiny pond).

Worse still is with the nature of the business being what it, he may have serious fuck'd over the relatives he has that are still employed by WWE. That's just being a selfish prick. Again, what a major douche.

 

[A**hole]

He had the talent to make it to the top
The push he was given from the start should have propelled him to the top.
His ring work did deteriorate from 2005/6 to the last time I recall seeing him.
If he is partying and high all the time and it shows by his work dropping off then he can't expect the push to continue.
He isn't the 1st and won't be the last that come in with a huge push but for various reasons just don't make it up that final climb before they reach the peak.
Some get bitter about it and lose their job, others like Matt Hardy never got that big opportunity but don't seem bitter about it and still have a job they like

As for being given creative control, that won't happen in many cases and not until you have proven yourself in many ways.
Jericho, Cena and Taker would probably be the only 1s on the roster that would have any say now since HBK has retired.
I didn't include HHH cos he wouldn't need it in his contract since he sleeps with the head of creative

 

[Spaceman Spif]

Bitter, very bitter. Carlito wanted everything handed to him, he didn't want to earn it, he didn't deserve it, but he wanted it. He whined and he cried to get what he wanted, but yet no matter how far backwards Vince bent for him, it still wasn't good enough for him. Carlito would never have been happy until he was in Cena's spot, which of course never would have happened as Carlito isn't on Cena's level. So Carlito's destiny was to never be happy, always be miserable in the WWE and not care, even though he was given many opportunities to be a huge star.

Carlito is good in the ring, on the mic and does have charisma, but his attitude sucked, period. He was a spoiled child who could never be pleased, because his ego was to big to allow it. I never like Carlito simply because of his attitude. He wasn't even deserving of half of what he got in the WWE, yet he still wanted more. I am glad he is gone and I hope we never see him in the WWE again.

 

[Dave]

To me, it sounds like a mix of both of the ideas you have brought forward… Not the Angry Addict combination though. I would say that he is justifiable bitter and that he has every reason to be.

Now, I am not and never have been the biggest fan of Carlito but I honestly felt that he deserved more from the WWE, especially in regards to his release. On week he was around and the next he was literally gone from WWE television. Now, I had no idea that he was ruled out because of drug use and this news is actually quite shocking from my point of view.

I always thought that Carlito was a little off during his promos and matches. Whether that comes down to drug use or not, I always felt that he was on the edge of being released at all time. Could he have made more of himself in the future if he had not been released? Yes! He probably could have. The fact of the matter is that the WWE must have had some reason to suspect him of drug use if they sent him to a rehab clinic and then a psychiatrist. Why would they have shelled out that expense if they didn’t think that he genuinely had a drug problem?

Perhaps they had proof of him using drugs and the fact that we wouldn’t admit it or try and get clean was the final nail in his WWE career’s coffin. Maybe I am wrong though and what happened to Carlito was a great miscarriage of justice. At the end of the day, we are very unlikely to get a reason from the WWE and we will probably never know the full story. However, going on what evidence we have from Carlito, I think he has every reason to be angry about his release.