A lot of very thoughtful responses ... to the first part of the question. However, there is a second part, which I would really like to see some responses to:
2) How would you take a current or recent WWE storyline/program and alter it to fit your standards of tolerance .... with the goal of generating as much interest as possible in the storyline/program and ultimately, with the goal of obtaining higher ticket sales/PPV buys for the program.
I see so many fans who criticize the WWE's current product, yet when push comes to shove, they don't put their money where their mouth is and provide any of their own suggestions on what they would do.
Vince McMahon has often said that "wrestling fans don't know what they want". Here is your chance to prove to everyone that you do know what you want.
So if we could hear some proposals on one current or recent WWE storyline you would change to fit your own personal standards, that would be great. I suggested mine earlier ... and I was ridiculed endlessly for it on another forum, with Randy Orton DDT'ing an unconscious Stephanie McMahon, and actually molesting her breasts to absolutely enrage Triple H to the point of no return in that segment leading up to Mania.
I don't care if I was ridiculed for that. I firmly stand behind my belief that this would have absolutely took that feud to a whole new intensity and would have been the most heated Main Event in probably Wrestlemania History, given how personal it was.
But, I am going to go back and provide my thoughts on each of the topics, since I fulfilled the second part of the question.
Like I said, as a Creative Writer (and assuming I would have a boss very supportive of my style), I would have a very high tolerance for pushing the envelope. I am very big on bringing out human emotions in storylines. Because the more that is done, the more vested and connected my viewers would become with my characters and storylines. There will be good times. There will be times that make people angry. And then there would be other times that may make people cry.
But bringing out emotions in people, and getting them out of this state of apathy that they have been in for a number of years now, thanks to the current product, is my primary goal.
And again, it is also important to know going into this thing that I have the expectation that the viewers of the program with which these topics would be covered (Raw) would be a more mature audience, that understands that what they are seeing is an Action/Drama show, just like any other you would see on TV. So this particular product would be no different than what one might see on a show like CSI, 24, or other shows with occasional violent tendencies and storylines.
With that in mind, let's address some of these:
What I consider "Excessive Violence" would be absolutely brutal beatings that would likely lay a superstar in a pool of blood. This includes use of weapons like baseball bats, maybe even knives, and such.
I have no problem with occasional "excessive violence" for a major angle, however it can not be done with frequency. If done with frequency, it loses its muster and the shock value wears off on the audience. It loses its impact. But to create an intense, heated storyline, absolutely.
This one is a no-brainer for me. Of course. And since the FCC does not apply to cable, I am even more in support of it. But the content rating would be affected if I have F-bombs dropped on the show, and likely earn an "R" rating, so I would have to be careful not to have that word used. But any of the others ... sure.
Along with violence, as long as it isn't done repeatedly. Also, since I am not a fan of blading, I would recommend the use of blood capsules on the time blood is used. And this information would be kept under strict lock and key, because I know our Internet savages would have a fit if wrestlers weren't actually slicing their own heads open with blades, and scarring themselves for life.
I thought the subtle reference Snoop Dogg was using was hysterical when Raw had to take a quick time-out a few weeks back.
Certainly have no issues with the occasional superstar blasting another for drug use (kayfabe). I'm sure RVD would love to participate in a storyline like this.
Also, I think it could be a great downfall storyline for a superstar who is down on his luck to be seen with a dealer purchasing drugs ... while his performance falls in the ring.
Violence against Women (can include Rape)
I know IC has essentially called anyone who advocates Rape on TV as "having something wrong with them". So I guess, unfortunately that's me.
But ... I will say this. This would be something probably done only once in a ten year span. And the outcome would be the guy who did it, getting the bloody Hell totally beaten out of him.
The way it would be enacted on TV would probably be a superstar (like Randy Orton --- so perfect for that role) to be seen getting aggressive as far as frisking and kissing a Diva, the Diva starts hitting him and telling him to get off her ..... and then Orton slams the door ... and you can hear the woman screaming for 2-3 seconds.
I don't want an entire rape shown on TV, but as far as an implied rape .... yeah, I would approve it. Again, this is for a more mature audience then what the WWE has today. And like I said, it truly brings emotion to the viewer, and takes them on a roller-coaster ride.
Plus, the end result of the Heel getting completely battered and bloodied for his actions when he and another superstar meet in the ring ... with the Diva getting involved beating the Hell out of Orton as well, would give the angle a payoff.
Controversial? Sure. Would it produce ratings? Absolutely. And hopefully that would spark interest and lead to PPV buys.
Discrimination against Women- Misogyny
Compared to having Rape? Yes. Again, assuming the Heel gets his in the long run. I think it could ultimately lead to producing another Chyna, as well ... to stand up for herself and leave the pig.
Or, we could also do a storyline where McMahon gets sued for sexual harassment, or something of the sort.
They started to do this with Edge and Lita on the Live Sex Celebration. And they could do it again. Have a guy and a girl in a room together under the covers ... making some pleasurable sounds ... when the door busts open and the Face gets attacked by a Heel. Or vice versa, with the Face attacking a Heel.
Bare butts can be allowed.
The most that would be shown of women though, would be the top of her breasts, not the nipples. In other words, someone could be stripped of her clothes (like Vince had Trish Stratus do back in the early 2000's) for her job, to humiliate her. He had her take off her bra, but she was covered.
So that is pretty much as far as I would go.
I take no issue with pregnancy angles. I would simply like to see one pregnancy actually come to term. But I think it's a great way for a superstar and a Diva to come together to form a husband/wife team ... or for a team formed between two people who have to form the team because of the child (like a Face Wrestler and a Heel Diva).
Racial Violence / Discrimination issues
Again, as long as the Heel would get theirs in the end, I don't have a problem with it.
You could have both Racist White Heel as well as Racist Black Heel. A German Heel who could be compared to a Nazi, with his views that everyone is inferior to the White Race. The Black Heel, similar to Faarooq, who is angry at Whites for the generations of oppression. Or, the Racist Mexican, who is angry at both Whites and Blacks.
And of course, along with that comes racial hate crimes against other superstars. It could produce some valuable lessons by the end of the storyline, though, and really get people thinking that this kind of thing needs to come to an end in real life.
As far as the Discrimination issue, if it can produce a positive outcome, then sure. It would be a massive way to produce some solid heat for someone.
I think there is also room for some fun-loving stereotypes like Cryme Tyme, who the fans absolutely loved when they first arrived. The fans are intelligent enough to know it was an act, and they went with it. They cheered on Cryme Tyme stealing things, swindeling people, robbing people, etc. I thought it was hysterical, and loved the fact that they were portrayed as babyfaces .... with the fans responding as such.
LGBT characters / Relationships / Stereotypes
I think there's a place for this, sure.
This was when Goldust was his most over, and the heat was out of this world. So I think there is a place for the obnoxious Heel homosexual, but I also think there's a place for something else never done before.
I personally think maybe it's time, though to reverse the process, and present a positive Gay character to the business. The character would simply be Gay, and not do anything different than any other wrestler does in the ring. No obnoxious stuff whatsoever like a Goldust.
Rather, he could be hated on by the Heels for being Gay. Be a victim of a "bashing", and that would hopefully produce sympathy, so that others on the roster would take up for the guy and get even with the Heels.
Also, Hot Lesbian Action??? Sure. Absolutely. This is a guy's fantasy come true. So in a business with the largest audience being 18-34 males, go for it.
Personally, I think this could be a great way to write someone out of a storyline if they plan on leaving the WWE. I think it's a great symbolic move "signifying the death of their career in the company".
A gun shot, throat slit, poison, etc.
You could benefit by doing a "Who done it" storyline afterwards, which is always good for ratings.
Self-harm, yes. Suicide ... I think attempted suicide is fine, as long as it is used to bring a character out of a rut. You could use this to turn a Heel into a Face. Or could give a "down on his luck" Face a much needed push once he or she "gets better".
One of the touchiest of all questionable topics.
I would not advocate a full onslaught against Religion. However, what Vince did in going into the Church and somewhat mocking the process, with spitting the Holy Water in the air, and challenging God to strike him down .... I take no issue with.
We could have the Ultra Religious Loon character however, similar to those form the Westboro Baptist Church (with the Homosexual stuff excluded however) .... telling people that they are all going to Hell for their sins, the world is going to End, etc.
On the plus side, maybe we could have the Ultra-positive, modern-day religious character around who tries to inspire people. He wouldn't preach or anything, but looks to the Lord for inspiration for what he does. Doesn't feel that the Lord hates anyone, and forgives all. A role-model type character.
Politics (ie: character preaching Ultra-Conservative or Liberal Views)
We could use another campaigner running around like Mr. Backlund ... wanting to start as many wars as possible with other countries. He would provide great interaction with a Middle Eastern babyface character WWE could use down the road. Getting on women's cases for killing babies/fetusues through abortion (would work great with a Pregnancy angle, done at the same time). Kind of portrays Neocons in a bad light.
Or we could have the Ultra Liberal going around and preaching and advocating Socialism, open borders, leniency on criminals, or something of the light.
Politics is always a touchy subject with people, and would be bound to get a reaction one way or another, from the audience.
I personally thought it would have been great if they would have continued this with Paul Burchill and Katie Lea.
And I think it would have been a Hell of a lot better ending to the "Who was Vince's son" storyline if Triple H would have been revealed to be the bastard son-- with he and Stephanie embracing their relationship and playing it up for all its worth.
Obviously, they could have ended the storyline to reveal it was a mistake, like they did anyway, with Hornswoggle, but it would have produced some very interesting television, which would have produced some massive heat.
Why not? That's what the Cryme Tyme vignettes actually featured, and the fans loved it.
(Kidding, please no hate mail)