It didn't take long for WWE to mock Lawler.

[waylonmercy]

Within 5 minutes of returning WWE is already mocking Lawler. Vince McMahon is such a f'n moron. I hope he has a heart attack and dies once and for all. He is soooooo out of touch with what fans want. The least thing on the face of this earth the WWE universe wants to see is WWE making fun of Lawler for having a legit heart attack. Vince, you want your product to get great ratings... you have a heart attack and croak.

 

[FPSRussia]

The whole thing was disturbing - the scenes where they kept filming as he was receiving chest compressions and defibrillation were very hard to watch...

I lost a lot of respect for the writers of the show - Punk and Heyman looked uneasy during the whole segment as well

 

[The Brain]

Come on. This is pro wrestling. Show business. What's the problem? Remember Jerry Lawler was a promoter for decades. Do you really think he had a problem with this? It was probably his idea. Lawler is fine. He's not dead. He's in a unique business in which he promoted for a very long time and understands better than anybody. Lighten up a little and enjoy the show.

 

[stonecoldstv86]

Vince has no shame. The video package was a little hard to watch. They have Punk and Heyman come out within minutes of Lawler being back for nothing else then for cheap heat. As someone said Punk and Heyman looked a little uneasy. Punk kept saying about stuff being tastless probably because he really thought that is what segment really was.

They couldn't work to get some actual heat, they had to go the lazy route to get the cheap heat.

Such a shame, Vince couldn't let King get the respect he deserves.

 

[waylonmercy]

Jerry Lawler may have been okay with it, but its disturbing and not entertaining to anyone who has lost a loved one to a heart attack. That's the issue. Mocking a heart attack victim who is making their return is in poor taste. If you want to mock Lawler come out in a walker in a few weeks but Vince has something against his talent looking great during their 15 minutes of fame.

 

[The Brain]

Vince has no shame. The video package was a little hard to watch. They have Punk and Heyman come out within minutes of Lawler being back for nothing else then for cheap heat. As someone said Punk and Heyman looked a little uneasy. Punk kept saying about stuff being tastless probably because he really thought that is what segment really was.

They couldn't work to get some actual heat, they had to go the lazy route to get the cheap heat.

Such a shame, Vince couldn't let King get the respect he deserves.

How do you know Lawler didn't go to Vince with this idea? Maybe Vince was uncomfortable with it but agreed to it because it's what Lawler wanted. You guys are making way too much out of this. Lawler is a 40 year pro. Quit acting like he's a victim and needs your protection. He would probably be more insulted by that than anything that was said tonight.

 

[stonecoldstv86]

I am pretty sure it wasn't Jerry's Idea to be filming them while they were trying to revive him seeing he was technaly dead and couldn't give concent for that.

It was just tasteless. As someone said, it's disrespectful to anyone that has a loved one or someone that know suffer or even die from a heart attack.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

Are we talking about the footage of the night of his cardiac arrest? Yeah, that was kinda weird. Heyman faking it and Punk 'saving him' was funny in a heel sort of way.

 

[Pedigree1]

Well people its called pro wrestling for a reason! Almost nothing is out of bounds nothing damn there. I may suggest if i may that of course IMO only that vince and Jerry had a sit down about this and agreed about it. Lawler has been in wrestling for what four decades now? Im sure he has done it all and seen it all and stuff he will never ever discuss.

Its not a way for the E to get rating its just business as usual. I think people are blowing this way out of proportion just enjoy the show lawler is fine with it as im sure he had a hand in this!

 

[SinCityBlitz]

Anyone else see the hypocrisy of people ripping Vince because of what happened yet wishing that he would have a heart attack and die? Yeah, me too.

If Jerry was really uncomfortable it never would have aired. Yes Vince has an extremely warped sense of humor but his talent knows this.

 

[The Brain]

I am pretty sure it wasn't Jerry's Idea to be filming them while they were trying to revive him seeing he was technaly dead and couldn't give concent for that.

It was just tasteless. As someone said, it's disrespectful to anyone that has a loved one or someone that know suffer or even die from a heart attack.

What about when Red Fox faked all those heart attacks in his tv show? Was that disrespectful? It was a scene in a television show. Lawler is not a helpless victim. I really don't see how any of this is disrespectful. Funny how when people that don't like wrestling criticize it the fans are quick to defend it by saying it's just a television show but they seem to forget that at times themselves.

 

[Con T.]

Why should you shock you? This is Vince's go to; when something happens poorly to his employees, he'll exploit them for all their worth.

You know, it's really appropriate that Linda lost her senate run by a rousing defeat, because I'm sure Vince had to wonder why Linda lost, and it totally has to do with the company she was involved in, and actions like this. I remember that Vince and company went on a rampage to block out some of the racier moments of the Attitude Era, such as Trish stripping in front of Vince and barking like a dog. What Vince doesn't seem to get is that just erasing the bad images doesn't mean you learned anything; what would show that you've learned from your mistakes is to not have these embarrassing segments, like the one we just watched.

Most people on this site seem to believe that the Attitude Era was bad because it featured crude moments that made the WWE and fans look bad. Well, lookie at what I found; some completely PG moments, that make the WWE look like complete jackasses.

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I could go on for hours and hours with this petty, absolutely ridiculous shit that WWE has put on television, that totally qualifies as "PG". Tonight was just another case of the WWE looking like complete jackasses.

Fuck this company.
Fuck this company so much
Just wretched people

 

[Con T.]

Come on. This is pro wrestling. Show business. What's the problem? Remember Jerry Lawler was a promoter for decades. Do you really think he had a problem with this? It was probably his idea. Lawler is fine. He's not dead. He's in a unique business in which he promoted for a very long time and understands better than anybody. Lighten up a little and enjoy the show.

You're fucking serious?

Ok, fine, tell me; what, at all was gained from that segment? Just because it's wrestling, doesn't mean you can just do crude things so abrasively. This, more than anything, is why wrestling gets the bad rep from the media and from the mainstream world that it does; because it presents its "entertainment" in such a crass manner, that it makes you embarrassed to be a wrestling fan.

You know what my girlfriend, a well adjusted member of society, said while watching this show?

"Why would they make fun of that? That isn't fun."

No, it isn't; And wrestling is supposed to be about having fun, not exploiting the serious issues of your own talent.

 

[stonecoldstv86]

What about when Red Fox faked all those heart attacks in his tv show? Was that disrespectful? It was a scene in a television show. Lawler is not a helpless victim. I really don't see how any of this is disrespectful. Funny how when people that don't like wrestling criticize it the fans are quick to defend it by saying it's just a television show but they seem to forget that at times themselves.

Yeah well as the story goes that cost Red Fox his life. Because I remember hearing the story about Fox would do that back stage at his new show. Only problem was he ended up having a real heart attack and people thought he was doing his old gimmick. So by the time they figured out he wasn't fakin it was too late.

 

[The Brain]

You're fucking serious?

I am.

Ok, fine, tell me; what, at all was gained from that segment? Just because it's wrestling, doesn't mean you can just do crude things so abrasively. This, more than anything, is why wrestling gets the bad rep from the media and from the mainstream world that it does; because it presents its "entertainment" in such a crass manner, that it makes you embarrassed to be a wrestling fan.

Fair enough but if you didn't expect this then you haven't been paying attention the past couple decades. I didn't find the segment to be that bad. It's just par for the course around here.

You know what my girlfriend, a well adjusted member of society, said while watching this show?

"Why would they make fun of that? That isn't fun."

I'm a well adjusted member of society too. I thought the segment was fine for a wrestling show because after watching wrestling for as long as I have I know what to expect. Now if Big Bird was mocking Mr. Hooper's death on Sesame Street in 1983 I would have said that was in poor taste. Set your expectations based on the show you're watching. A violent death scene in some kind of action horror movie may be ok but would not be appropriate in something like Air Bud. By now you should know about the show you're watching.

No, it isn't; And wrestling is supposed to be about having fun, not exploiting the serious issues of your own talent.

You're making the same mistake as others in assuming this was the evil Vince McMahon exploiting the poor Jerry Lawler when it is very likely this was Lawler's idea.

You're very upset at WWE. You say it's a terrible company. Can I assume you are done watching it?

 

[hatehabsforever]

Sorry Brain, I don't think you are wrong very often, but I gotta go with Haiku on this one. That segment was in poor taste and I didn't like it at all. I realize its professional wrestling and pretty much nothing is off limits, but there should be some topics that are beyond reproach. I didn't even mind the promo that Punk cut, it generated some pretty good heat, but with Heyman faking the heart attack, totally tasteless and classless. That was horrible, and WWE should be ashamed of themselves.

That sucked really bad.
Hard to defend that bullshit.
Total lack of class.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

Come on. This is pro wrestling. Show business. What's the problem? Remember Jerry Lawler was a promoter for decades. Do you really think he had a problem with this? It was probably his idea. Lawler is fine. He's not dead. He's in a unique business in which he promoted for a very long time and understands better than anybody. Lighten up a little and enjoy the show.

I agree with you Brain.

Anyone who's upset for Lawler with all this... has obviously never watched Memphis wrestling before. Lawler's old school. Anything's fair game as far as he's concerned.

Lawler probably pitched this angle as soon as he got out of the hospital. If the doctors had let him... he probably would have had Punk attack him in the hospital.

 

[The Brain]

Sorry Brain, I don't think you are wrong very often, but I gotta go with Haiku on this one. That segment was in poor taste and I didn't like it at all. I realize its professional wrestling and pretty much nothing is off limits, but there should be some topics that are beyond reproach. I didn't even mind the promo that Punk cut, it generated some pretty good heat, but with Heyman faking the heart attack, totally tasteless and classless. That was horrible, and WWE should be ashamed of themselves.

That sucked really bad.
Hard to defend that bullshit.
Total lack of class.

But Heyman faking the heat attack was obviously a work. Punk went out of his way with the overacting to make sure everyone knew that even if it wasn't obvious enough from the start (which it was). If they treated it seriously and had the EMTs come down I would agree. They didn't treat it seriously though so I didn't mind it.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

If Lawler actually cared he wouldn't have stayed there, it's painfully obvious he was in on it.

Personally I feel it was in poor taste to do that but it's wrestling, if Lawler didn't care neither should we. At the end of the day it's done to garner heat and from sitting next to my girlfriend I would say it worked.

It's wrestling, this stuff happens and I've seen wrestling do alot worse for alot less.

 

[Con T.]

You're very upset at WWE. You say it's a terrible company. Can I assume you are done watching it?

Actually, yes. After the segment, I turned it over to football; I don't care if the game is miserable, I'd rather watch that than a company that has no clue how to present a tasteful show.

Stop giving wrestling a pass, just because it's wrestling; I get your point that this has happened in wrestling before, but just because it's wrestling, doesn't mean it still isn't at the very least, somewhat poor in taste.

Let's look at that footage we saw that showed Jerry's heart attack backstage. Did we need to see that? And what if the man passed that night? It all seems just in poor taste, again; I'd say the same thing about any programming. There was once a movie called Game of Death, which featured real life footage of Bruce Lee's funeral, and guess what? It was heavily criticized, and considered to be in bad taste.


Wrestling is a quasi-sport. It's presented as real.

Sitcoms, on the other hand, are scripted television shows. They are presented as fake.


Then, we have a great moment of Jerry Lawler; again, why can't we just leave the moment as is? No, we have to make death puns. Death puns, nine weeks after the mans life was literally hanging in the balance. Again, what do they get out of this? What's to gain from any of this?

Then, we have Paul Heyman mocking, rather uncomfortably mind you, a heart attack in the ring. Fine, let's just say that King's ok with it. What about the audience, who just witnessed nine weeks ago this man almost die? What about the (Yes, I hate pulling this out) kids, who don't quite understand the concept of death or dying, who almost saw a man die on live tv? The kids, mind you, that WWE is supposed to be marketing its product to, no?

Again, I'm asking you the same thing that I still don't think you can answer; what does WWE gain from this?

 

[hatehabsforever]

But Heyman faking the heat attack was obviously a work. Punk went out of his way with the overacting to make sure everyone knew that even if it wasn't obvious enough from the start (which it was). If they treated it seriously and had the EMTs come down I would agree. They didn't treat it seriously though so I didn't mind it.

Of course it was obviously a work, but that didn't make it any less tasteless or any more appropriate. Like yourself, I've been watching wrestling for a long time, and I've seen plenty of crap that I've really hated. We all know the stuff: Katie Vick, a match for the custody of Dominick, mocking good ole JR repeatedly, the list goes on and on. But just because they've done it before doesn't make it OK to do it again. The man nearly died at ringside and I didn't find a re-enactment of it entertaining, even if it was so obviously fake. The promo alone, the words expressed by Punk, that would have been sufficient and accomplished the desired goal. But they didn't need to re-enact it. Poor taste and unnecessary fuel for the numerous critics of today's professional wrestling product.

 

[Con T.]

One more thing, Brain;

You're making the same mistake as others in assuming this was the evil Vince McMahon exploiting the poor Jerry Lawler when it is very likely this was Lawler's idea.

Oh, because Vince doesn't have a track record of this? Did you not see any of the video clips I put in my first post? You don't think Vince isn't enough of an asshole to do this. This is a guy who booked himself into an angle where he wrestled, and beat, his daughter in an I Quit Match.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure this isn't a mistake on my part

 

[justinsayne]

I'm with Brian on this one, I'm sure they ran this by Lawler before the show happened to make sure he was comfortable with it, it's hardly that big of a deal & they immediately had Foley come out right after & confront him about his "disrespect".

In the Brad Maddox match as the ambulance was coming into the arena Lawler made a joke about his ride being here.

Wrestling fans need to lighten the hell up. You beg for a return to the attitude era, & era that was about as far from P.C. as you could get, yet you can't handle it when WWE does something like this? If you can't handle shit like this then you could never handle the shit you would get if WWE returned to more of an Attitude era style of things.

 

[The Brain]

Actually, yes. After the segment, I turned it over to football; I don't care if the game is miserable, I'd rather watch that than a company that has no clue how to present a tasteful show.

Yeah but you'll be back next week.

Stop giving wrestling a pass, just because it's wrestling; I get your point that this has happened in wrestling before, but just because it's wrestling, doesn't mean it still isn't at the very least, somewhat poor in taste.

I guess I am kind of giving it a free pass but again you should know what to expect. If you think it was in poor taste so be it, but did it really surprise you? I can think of plenty more things that could be viewed as equally offensive if not much worse from the beloved attitude era.

Let's look at that footage we saw that showed Jerry's heart attack backstage. Did we need to see that? And what if the man passed that night? It all seems just in poor taste, again; I'd say the same thing about any programming. There was once a movie called Game of Death, which featured real life footage of Bruce Lee's funeral, and guess what? It was heavily criticized, and considered to be in bad taste.

I agree that they shouldn't have been filming backstage the night of the heart attack. I won't defend that. Tonight's segment is a different story though. Lawler is safe and sound and ready to get back to work.

Wrestling is a quasi-sport. It's presented as real.

Sitcoms, on the other hand, are scripted television shows. They are presented as fake.

Not in 2012. That's the old way of thinking.

Then, we have a great moment of Jerry Lawler; again, why can't we just leave the moment as is? No, we have to make death puns. Death puns, nine weeks after the mans life was literally hanging in the balance. Again, what do they get out of this? What's to gain from any of this?

Then, we have Paul Heyman mocking, rather uncomfortably mind you, a heart attack in the ring. Fine, let's just say that King's ok with it. What about the audience, who just witnessed nine weeks ago this man almost die? What about the (Yes, I hate pulling this out) kids, who don't quite understand the concept of death or dying, who almost saw a man die on live tv? The kids, mind you, that WWE is supposed to be marketing its product to, no?

You probably hadn't read my previous post by the time you typed this but I mentioned that Heyman was obviously faking. Punk was overselling it on purpose and no one came to help him. I very seriously doubt anyone thought for a second that was real.

Again, I'm asking you the same thing that I still don't think you can answer; what does WWE gain from this?

They were trying to get more heat for Punk. Don't overanalyze every single segment. Most of the times the answers are very basic.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

Ok. For the people who aren't familiar with Lawler's history, please look at this:

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Lawler sold that like death until the cops showed up to arrest Eddie Gilbert, and he had to get up to keep Gilbert from being charged with vehicular assault.

Lawler has used the deaths of friends, colleagues, family, ect in angles in the past. There was no way that he wasn't using his heart attack to help get the top heel in the company over. He's just continuing what he was trying to do before his heart attack.

Honestly, knowing Lawler, you should all take this as the final sign that he's healthy and back to being himself.