"The Racially Insensitive History of WWE"

[Chrome]

[YOUTUBE]mzZcMoUxSFQ[/YOUTUBE]

So somewhat famous YouTube "social commentator", Adam Buckley, recently talked about the debacle with Hulk Hogan. He makes no apology for Hogan's behavior but finds it funny how a company that had a long history of endorsing so many racially insensitive gimmicks/storylines on the air scrambled about to silence something of the same degree that was said in private. Of course, we as wrestling fans know the full story and most of the hypocrisy accusations against the WWE have come from us so really, he's appealing to the general populace who don't follow wrestling as religiously as we do but perhaps, his arguments might bring you some new perspective on the matter. Who knows.

Personally I think he's reaching on a few things, but I get the message Adam is trying to send.

Racial Insensitivity and Racism in Current WWE:

-Randy Orton told MVP that "he belongs in the hood"
-Alexander Rusev lives in Bulgaria but WWE portrayed him as a russian.One day Vince finally decided to bring his bulgarian gimmick. Rusev's outfit resembles a barbarian because to some americans,bulgarians are barbarians.
-Los Matadores
-New Day
-Prime Time Players
How Buckley missed the racism gold mine that is Cryme Tyme is beyond me. Let's not forget the Mexicools coming out on lawn mowers were an atrocity.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Ok, some black wrestlers were given bad gimmicks. What's your point?

 

[Chrome]

Ok, some black wrestlers were given bad gimmicks. What's your point?

So when someone points to a racial video you immediately think Black/White? The video goes into more than just black wrestlers. Just because someone's culture or skin is one thing doesn't mean that, said person follows that ethic stereo type. But that's my personal opinion, you claim in your post what is MY point.. well you realize I didn't create the video right? The point of the video is to point out other times where this has taken place and shed's light on it because in order to get better as a society one must first see things for what they are so positive change can take place.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

I'm not saying it's morally right, but you need to be a little insensitive to have a show. Mental/Terminal illness, Disabilities, Stereotypes and Sexism are going to be portrayed in every character worth watching. People need to remember that they are watching actors on a stage when they look at wrestling. Nobody should bash AMC for exploiting Cancer/the American Education System after watching Breaking Bad. Neither should they say it promotes drug use. Why get on a high horse about a tag team dressing and acting the way they do when like famous rappers make millions off of it?

 

[braveh]

From the late 90s they've had a ton of minority stars...Rock, Eddie, Rey, Batista, Booker...they're on a bad streak right now with Del Rio's dismissal and Hogan's old sex tape.

I think they're better off than the NBA actually where the audience of players and trainers booed when Ming was drafted, where Jeremy Lin was instantly "the Asian guy", where some African-americans went ape shit crazy because Minnesota had too many white players....

Rock was the never the black guy...Reigns isn't referred to as the samoan by wrestling fans...etc..

 

[TJ Matics]

Someone can see what WWE has put on, call it racially insensitive and choose not to tune in the the next week or ever. Someone couldn't be a fly on the wall, hear Hogan's comments and choose to then not consider him to be a guy they look up to and respect anymore. Very, very bad gimmicks (Cryme Tyme and The Mexicools are the fist that come to mind) were aired live and meant to be a form of entertainment. Though I found both absolutely cringeworthy both were put out there as jokes. Orton telling MVP to go to the hood was used for heat. Like an above poster said this (race, sexism, and violence) is always going to be apart of popular culture. People then have the choice whether they like it or not. Much like with Warrior, he didn't break a sweat hiding his derogatory opinions, so anyone who chose to call themselves a fan knew that that was the type of guy they were dealing with. Hogan fans, friends, and business partners alike were all blind sighted.

This vid is just another attempt to say, "I don't condone what Hogan said, but..." No, there is no but. Trying to drag other people and the WWE down and dirty them up too just makes Hogan look worse and his supporters desperate.

 

[Cereal Killer]

To be honest, it sounds like stereotyping is being mistaken for racism here. Racism is discriminating a race or religion or discriminating someone because of their race or religion. Does giving certain ethnic minorities stereotypical roles really count as racism?

 

[Con T.]

To be honest, it sounds like stereotyping is being mistaken for racism here. Racism is discriminating a race or religion or discriminating someone because of their race or religion. Does giving certain ethnic minorities stereotypical roles really count as racism?

Kind of, yes.

Actually, it isn't even a kind of. The answer is yeah.

 

[Shadowmancer]

Its professional wrestling, gimmicks are built on stereotypes. Whether it is conforming to or breaking from them. Its what you do with the gimmick that matters more.

 

[ABMorales787]

Los Matadores pitched the gimmick themselves.

 

[Con T.]

Its professional wrestling, gimmicks are built on stereotypes. Whether it is conforming to or breaking from them. Its what you do with the gimmick that matters more.

There is a reason advertisers see wrestling as low brow entertainment, and probably always will.

Just saying.

 

[The Brain]

A few things that caught my attention.

1. There have been "only" eight minority champions. Let's think about the definition of minority for a second. By definition doesn't it make sense that there would be much less minority champions? Yep, eight out of forty is a minority.

2. "It's not about who's better. Someone just decides who should be the champion." Actually it is very much about who's better and the one that just decides who should be champion makes his decision based on who's better.

3. "His moral compass might require a little recalibration." Considering most of the gimmicks mentioned were from over 15 years ago maybe his moral compass has already been recalibrated. Vince is being criticized for doing the right thing because he's done wrong things in the past. Sorry Vince but you apparently you don't deserve a chance at self improvement.

4. Obviously wrestling is made up of gimmicks and characters and many are over the top. It's the nature of the business. It's more fun when things are exaggerated. Besides, it's not like every minority is given a stereotypical gimmick. "Black wrestlers of the 80s and 90s seemed to be saddled with some questionable gimmick. Bad News Brown was a scary black man." No, he was a scary brawler that happened to be black. Being black was not his gimmick. If you only see Bad New Brown as a black man that's your problem.

5. It's always funny to me that the "smart wrestling fan" is still so easily worked. Whenever some outsider criticizes wrestling for being fake the "smart fan" is quick to defend and say it's just like a tv show or movie. I see racial stereotypes in all forms of entertainment. Why are they acceptable on tv or in the theater, or on stage at the comedy club, or on stage at a concert, but not in WWE? Even the "smart ones" still need to be reminded from time to time that it's not real.

 

[Shadowmancer]

There is a reason advertisers see wrestling as low brow entertainment, and probably always will.

Just saying.

You can do the same thing with characters in books, comics, tv or film. Its how the character comes out in the character and what they do that make it work.

 

[Con T.]

You can do the same thing with characters in books, comics, tv or film. Its how the character comes out in the character and what they do that make it work.

How much can you really do with a character that rides a lawnmower to the ring?

 

[ABMorales787]

Aren't "Italian" and "Irish" technically minorities too? I mean, he counted Pedro Morales and The Great Khali. Where were Bruno and Sheamus?

 

[MrHashasheen]

Aren't "Italian" and "Irish" technically minorities too? I mean, he counted Pedro Morales and The Great Khali. Where were Bruno and Sheamus?

Bruno played to an Italian-heavy crowd. If anything, he was the majority figure.

 

[ABMorales787]

Bruno played to an Italian-heavy crowd. If anything, he was the majority figure.

So did Pedro.

 

[therockiswwf]

JTG and Shad came up the Cryme Tyme gimmick.

 

[Slash-LN]

I quit watching when he said "The man who pretty much saved WCW in the 2000s."

 

[Lee]

THIS

JTG and Shad came up the Cryme Tyme gimmick.

Los Matadores pitched the gimmick themselves.

Much better than getting Canadians to pretend to be Italian and Scottish.

 

[Miko]

As an Englishman I loved Regals tea drinking berk gimmick. Bet that never got mentioned

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Hot Rod came across as a better Scotsman than Drew though, as much as I like him.

Roddy had the kilt, bagpipes, bursts of anger and was sometimes incomprehensible, all Scottish traits! (Although before the Irish point it out, I know we nicked their bagpipes)

 

[Барбоса]

And kilts.

 

[A11oftheLights]

A lot of this stuff is a bunch of crap. You can tell its done by someone who isnt even the slightest bit a wrestling fan.

I hate the use of the 'how many black/minority champions' argument (by anyone). Statistically there are more white wrestlers. Then we have to account for actual skill. Aaand then most importantly we have to look at whether or not they get over with the fans

 

[MrMojoRisin]

Reading this thread, I'm trying to figure out if the majority here is trying to argue that the WWE IS and always has been a racially sensitive company?

Because if that's what you believe... then maybe you've let professional wrestling shape your world views a little too much.