Could a wrestler attack a woman today?

[Tastycles]

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been watching the Randy Savage DVD. Quite often, during his Macho King phase, whoever he was fighting would inevitably be attacked by Sensational Sherri repeatedly, until eventually snapping, and either pushing her over, making her butt heads with Savage or in some cases doing an actual move on her. Invariably, the crowd cheer when this happens, and I was thinking - could that happen today?

I don't want this to descend into the usual PG Era debate, I just want to know if the audience's moral compass would allow it. Lord knows that Vickie Guerrero is more annoying than any other woman in the history of wrestling, but could someone get away with scoop slamming her or pushing her over today and still get cheered? I know Undertaker did it, but he isn't really your run of the mill face. Could John Cena do a move on someone like Maryse? Could Abyss black hole slam Daffney?

I am inclined to believe that if it happened the crowd would cheer, but the backlash from those outside the wrestling community would be such that they'd never risk it. What say you?

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Yes, if it's done in a comedic way. A double noggin knocker was never presented as being a serious move and it was just a way for a heel, male or female, to get their comeuppance. Same with a scoop slam, it was presented as being painful to the woman, but not something that would serious hurt her. These would all still work today so long as they can convey the right facial expressions.

Agressively pushing a woman in the face so she falls down has never got cheers and Abyss giving Daffney a Black Hole Slam happens in the iMPACT Zone!, which says it all really.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I don't want this to descend into the usual PG Era debate....

Yet, there's no way to discuss it openly with the PG garbage not coming into it. I remember when the MegaPowers were breaking up and a scene was filmed in one of dressing rooms involving Randy Savage at odds with Hulk Hogan. At the very end of the segment, Savage was seen grabbing Elizabeth by the arm and whipping her across the room. The effect of the scene was enormous because: (1) It looked as if he really flung her and there was no indication where she landed, because it was out of camera view, and (2) The film ended immediately after she was tossed; we never got to see the reactions of Savage or Hogan, much less see what happened to Liz.

This topic reminded me of that incident because, although it was great drama back then, it could never be allowed today. If they tried it now, our morality-meters would jump off the scale at the prospect of a sweet young thing being treated that way. Lots of things that were shown back in the day would today send us stampeding in horror toward the exit doors.

If the girls could take the "abuse" back then, they could take it today....... but we won't be seeing it. The closest we'll come is Stephanie Levesque lying on the mat being kissed by Randy Orton.

 

[HBK-aholic]

Chris Jericho punched Rebecca ****e-Michaels, and it was one of my favourite all time moments of the business. When people argue against this, they often say "It might make men think it's okay to beat women", when really, if a man is taking his moral actions from the WWE, we have bigger problems already, as he must be going on battering every man he sees, as well as seeing bin lids and chairs as weapons instead of every day items. Seriously now, I doubt people will go home thinking domestic violence is okay because Jericho punched that thing.

That being said, I don't think we'll see it, purely because of the fear the media will give the WWE negative publicity from it. If the woman is a heel who the crowd hates, I'm sure a majority of them would cheer if one of the male wrestlers gave her a beating.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Well, as has been pointed out, there have been several instances over the past few years in which women have been attacked by male wrestlers and the WWE hasn't suffered any sort of media backlash over it. One memorable incident that hasn't been mentioned yet is Randy Orton putting the DDT on Stephanie McMahon while Triple H is handcuffed to the ring ropes. Orton slithering around the ring and giving Stephanie a little kiss added a nice, disturbing moment and it was great. It made the feud between Orton and Trips much more personal.

In the incidents that've been brought up, there's been a purpose to the violence against women in storylines. For the HBK/Jericho and Triple H/Orton feuds, it adds a very basic and dramatic dynamic to their angles. Nothing is more relatable than a man defending the honor of his woman. It's an antiquated view in some ways, depending on who you ask, but it's one that's always relatable. In the case of the Undertaker and Vickie Guerrero, viewers were presented with the image of Vickie using her "position of power" within the WWE to damage and sabotage the Undertaker's career. The Undertaker is probably the single most respected wrestler in North America today, everyone from fans to wrestlers respect his work ethic, his professionalism and what he's brought to the WWE for years. An angle in which a woman with "real power" within the company uses that power to deprive him of world titles works. The Undertaker has earned his spot and everything he's accomplished without a doubt and there's just something basic within people that simply doesn't like to see someone that works hard at their job, no matter what it is, get the shaft.

However, the WWE probably wouldn't be able to take the male on female violence to more than a single move or moment without running a risk of a serious backlash. For instance, we've never seen Randy Orton slam a steel chair across Stephanie's back and legs a dozen times or the Undertaker chokeslam Vickie Guerrero through a table and we're not likely to either.

 

[LitasRevenge79]

There was the time when John Cena did the FU to Lita after her and Edge did the Live Sex show on Raw after he won the Belt from Cena at the NYR when he cashed in MITB that year. I think there should be the option given to the woman if she feels comfortable in that match. there was also the time Jeff Jarret did the El Kabong to Traci Brooks after her and Roode screwed over EY when JJ was revealed to be EY's secret friend. I think its a matter of how comfortable the woman is with the situation. I'm one who is all for it. Now if you have a girl like Maryse, Kelly, or someone, they probably are still not as hip to the physicality of some moves that Lita, Trish, or Mickie etc would have been apt to since those girls have been in the ring and battled men before.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

If we look back two months, CM Punk gave his finisher (which broke Snitsky's nose and cut Rey up pretty bad) to Beth Phoenix. I think if the timing was right (like that segment or the Jericho/Michaels confrontation like Becca mentioned) then absolutley. It makes a wrestler seem that much more evil if they do something to a female esspecially if they are a non wrestler.

 

[Via Armbar]

Ultimately it's up to the viewer to know the difference between real life and what they see on television. There may be kids who still think that pro wrestling is real, but majority of the fans know it's scripted. If people saw for example John Cena giving the Attitude Adjustment to Vickie Guerrero and though that it was okay to do this to a woman in real life, wouldn't they also think it's okay to hit people with steel chairs and perform satanic weddings on unwilling partners? The general audience knows the difference between reality and entertainment. It works the same with any form of entertainment whether it be movies or video games.

Would they allow for such an angle today? I believe so as Jericho hit Michaels' wife in the face and Randy Orton attacked Stephanie McMahon. The only thing with those instances is that both Jericho and Orton were heels at the time and were attacking the spouse of beloved legends. Would the crowd have the same reaction if a babyface had physically harmed a hated female personality? I think they would cheer just as much as they would if it were a male heel. They know what they're seeing isn't real . They see the bad guy getting their dues. The reaction would be different if say Cena was charged with spousal abuse in real life. It's up to the audience to seperate fact from fiction.

People can't be so selective when it comes to what is okay and what isn't. There have been just as many controversial subjects in wrestlings past that people don't think twice about. If you say it's not okay for them to use an angle where a women is harmed than you must say it's also not okay for all of the other controversial things to happen as well. Most people didn't have an issue with Chyna wrestling males, so why would it be any different for another female to be physically involved with a male wrestler? You can't say because the other females aren't wrestlers because that would be saying it's okay to hit some females and not others.

The PG era would be the only thing prevent angle like this from happening. Clearly Vince has no problem with it if it's done right, and I have no reason to beleive that the crowd would boo unless it was done to the spouse of a babyface or something similar. The outside media may pick up on it and shit on the whole thing, but that's what they do to the product as a whole. I don't think peoples moral compass has changed over the years, it's the wrestling product that has needed to change to stay relevant. Fans would still react appropriately if it were to happen. It more than likely wouldn't though given the WWE's current PG rating.

 

[Davi323]

I think it would much easier to accept now, if for the simple fact that it is far more commonly known that wrestling is scripted, and that they are just "characters". Basically, more people know its pretend. The Orton/Stephanie ddt previously brought up is a great example. Not only wasn't there outrage, but Orton got cheered.