What was with Michael Hayes that night?

[CM Steel]

About 3 years ago during Wrestlemania 24 weekend in Orlando, Florida at a party. Former Smackdown head writer Michael P.S. Hayes and Mark Henry were partying and drinking together. Hayes most likey was drunk at this time where he stated to Henry that "he was more of a ni99a than him"? Mark Henry didn't take kindly to what Michael Hayes had said about, but not only that but for Michael Hayes to drop the N-Bomb!

Mark Henry could have kicked Hayes's ass but he didn't because he felt that Vince McMahon and other WWE officials wouldn't have understood the senario about being called the N-Word. So Henry told the WWE officials what had happened at the party between himself and Michael Hayes. As a result Michael Hayes was suspended from the WWE for 60 days. But what was the N-Word doing in Michael Hayes vocabulary anyways?

Michael Hayes has had heat before with African-American wrestler's and the African-American wrestling fans from back in the day while Michael Hayes was apart of the Fabulous Freebirds in Atlanta, GA. And who remembers the freebirds infamous feud with the late great Junkyard Dog? Talk about drama!

So deep down is Michael Hayes a racist? Or a African-American wanna-be?

 

[JohnOldSnake4]

I don't like Michael Hayes. On the Legends of Wrestling roundtable shows he's always come across as incredibly arrogant to me. Therefore I wouldn't put it past him to have a racist streak. I can't say for sure though, obviously. He had no place saying that to Mark and in my opinion should have been fired outright for it rather than suspended. Whether he's racist or not, that comment was damn racist. I think it's more likely he doesn't like - or at least has a chip on his shoulder about - African-Americans than that he wants to be one, sadly.

 

[#hamler]

There's really no way to know if Michael Hayes is truly a racist. To tell the truth, it's no one's business but his own. I don't really have a problem with the context Hayes used the N word. He was probably trying to get under the skin of Henry pushing him to show a little more aggressiveness and enthusiasm. Let us face it, from what I hear, Mark Henry is a nice guy off camera - a teddy bear if you will. You don't get what you want by being a push over, that's probably the reason Henry was jobbed out for so long. People look way too deep into these sorts of incidents and make a bigger deal than they appear to be. If the incidents was truly that bad, our Smackdown shows would probably be written alot different than they are.

Or a African-American wanna-be?

I'm palming my face. Hard.

 

[Sinister Shadows]

I don't like Michael Hayes. On the Legends of Wrestling roundtable shows he's always come across as incredibly arrogant to me. Therefore I wouldn't put it past him to have a racist streak. I can't say for sure though, obviously. He had no place saying that to Mark and in my opinion should have been fired outright for it rather than suspended. Whether he's racist or not, that comment was damn racist. I think it's more likely he doesn't like - or at least has a chip on his shoulder about - African-Americans than that he wants to be one, sadly.

Fired? over nothing, suspension was more than was needed, being fired over such a non-issue would have been insane.

 

[trashboy]

He might be a racist, he might not. Ever think that he could have been joking with Mark Henry and he took it too seriously? Maybe he thought he was good enough friends with Mark to kid around with him. I know you can say some stuff you don't mean while drunk. Stuff will slip out that you're usually thinking but would never say while sober. I know when I'm drunk with friends, we might call each other some sort of name, but we know we're just kidding around.

It just depends on how he said it. But since we didn't hear him say it, we don't know if it was in a hateful manner or a laughing one.

 

[akrassikauda]

Here's the bottom line. When working for a publicly traded company you have to watch what you do and watch what you say period. In this day and time anything that's said in private may become public and that is what happened in this situation. This site was one of the first to report what was said,it doesn't matter in what context Hayes said it don't use that it's a cop out. He said it, it was leaked to the dirt sheets so the whole world knew Hayes used the N word. Hayes must pay even if Henry or anyone else wasn't offended, that's the world we live in because ignorant fools would let you know they weren't joking. So when working for a company like WWE in which people have to answer to advertisers and special interest groups (C'mon GLAAD got their panties in a bunch when Cena told Rock to use this purple pin wheel and blow me) and it is what it is. If I go around and start joking about a woman having deformed breast oh trust me I'll be lucky if I get just a suspension. Hayes should have known better,he's in a business were leaks keep others employed. We all should know better.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

It's possible that he said it because he was drunk and we don't know what Henry said to illicit that reaction from Hayes, for all we know Henry may have been talking about how "black" he is so Hayes said it as a joke and nothing more. None of us were there so none of us can really comment on what happened.

A lot of people drop the N-word and believe it or not most of those people aren't racist. If a black guy calls a white guy a "cracka" does that make him racist? Not at all. It may make that person inconsiderate and insensitive but it doesn't mean he's a racist. If Hayes was drunk he probably thought he was being funny when he said it but because he was drunk it sounded funnier in his head than it really was (or maybe it was hilarious in the context he used it but didn't think he was offending Henry (who in all fairness has every right to be offended)).

Hell I was friends with black people who ENCOURAGED me to use the N-word around them, some people don't care some people do, of course the people who care have every right to be offended but its also possible that Hayes didn't think him saying it would offend Henry. We don't know the situation so we can't comment on it.

 

[Defekt]

Just because someone uses the word "******" doesn't mean they are racist. I don't know all the details, but in that context it sounds to me like Michael Hayes was just joking around.

 

[doitevenmatter]

Why would a racist be out partying wit a large black man? It is every bit as racist to be offended by someone of another color saying ***** as it is for them to say it. we didnt even invent the word why should we be the only ones allowed to use it? i bet mark henry has said it 1000 times since then

 

[schaeffershawn]

It is always easy to say it was a one time slip, or taken out of context. But bottom line it is an inherently racisit term coming from a white southern person who was and still is in a position of power above a black man. To claim it is not racisit is like claiming their is not a systematic racisim which exist in the United States today that favors the white man. If you want proof just look how mall cops follow around groups of blacks or hispanics, or how a black man can go to a dealership to buy a new car and get saddled with a higher interest rate then a white man because the company assumes the black man will welch on his commitments. Or look at the prision system. There are nearly three times as many blacks and Hispanics in prision then whites, and who are the primary law givers?

Bottom line Michael Hayes is as racisist as the next man and should have been fired. His remarks whether at a party, with a friend, or some one he did not know at all were racisit and disrespectful.

 

[Pedigree1]

alcohol brings out the truth in people every time!! Michael Hayes is a racist his dumbass should have known better!! He was completely out of line and should have been fired on the spot!! As a person you can never ever drop the N bomb or anything else racially related!!!

 

[ffrikku]

Michael Hayes IS a racist. If your fans of RF Video shoot interviews plenty of Hayes stories around the back that statement also remember Bobby Lashley was on his way to being completely made by WWE but left during that period because he couldnt deal with Michael Hayes and his BS. Either he is a racist or just a ******** either way both are bad

 

[akrassikauda]

To ffrikku's point. I do recall Paul Heyman in interviews and on his Heyman Hustle blog for the UK Sun he tells a story about a prominent backstage person(he didn't want to reveal the name and burn anymore bridges) on Smackdown who kept calling Lashley "Black Lesnar" and Paul would get into it with that person and tell that person to have some balls and say it to Lashleys face.

 

[Swarles Barkley]

I don't really have a problem with the context Hayes used the N word.

Fired? over nothing, suspension was more than was needed, being fired over such a non-issue would have been insane.

Just because someone uses the word "******" doesn't mean they are racist. I don't know all the details, but in that context it sounds to me like Michael Hayes was just joking around.

These have to be the three stupidest statements I have ever read. There is no defense for using the n-word. NONE! Doc Hendrix is lucky that Mark Henry didn't kick the living shit out of him. I don't care what context Hayes was attempting to use the term, it is indefensible. Hayes is a racist tool. Period! And you three are tools for even thinking there could be a plausible explanation for it.

 

[Sinister Shadows]

These have to be the three stupidest statements I have ever read. There is no defense for using the n-word. NONE! Doc Hendrix is lucky that Mark Henry didn't kick the living shit out of him. I don't care what context Hayes was attempting to use the term, it is indefensible. Hayes is a racist tool. Period! And you three are tools for even thinking there could be a plausible explanation for it.

You don't read many stupid statements then do you?

Society as a whole in America has became entirely over sensitized to other people's opinions, other people's statements. Who gives a damn who calls who by what term and what difference does it really make? It doesn't mean a damn thing in the slightest unless the person let's it. It's not like Hayes threatened him in some way. But nowadays with "political correctness" everyone is demonized because they say something that someone else might not like. If you don't like what someone has to say, or how they say it, don't put yourself in the situation where you have to listen to them, simple as that.

 

[CM Steel]

When Booker T dropped the N-Bomb on Hulk Hogan (of all people) back in WCW on a WCW PPV. It just slipped out by mistake, and I think that Booker T knew slightly after what he had said. "Hulk Hogan, we com'in for you ni99a"!

But Michael Hayes had in mind the whole time on what he was going to say to Mark Henry. And hell yeah he crossed the line big time! It's dumbfounding to believe that he still has a job in the WWE.

 

[The Idiot]

I don't like Michael Hayes. On the Legends of Wrestling roundtable shows he's always come across as incredibly arrogant to me. Therefore I wouldn't put it past him to have a racist streak. I can't say for sure though, obviously. He had no place saying that to Mark and in my opinion should have been fired outright for it rather than suspended. Whether he's racist or not, that comment was damn racist. I think it's more likely he doesn't like - or at least has a chip on his shoulder about - African-Americans than that he wants to be one, sadly.

From what I understand that comment wasn't use during personal time and was never used at work. There's a big difference....and in my opinion him using that away from work should not get him fired, that's bullshit. Do I think what he said was wrong? Yes. I can see a suspension (maybe) but to say the guy should lose his job for a comment he made away from work (that isn't directed towards the company) is asinine.

I don't know the background on Michaels Hayes, and I never saw his feud with the Junkyard Dog....but if he got along with his piers at work, on and off camera, and never did anything directly to the company then I don't see why he should be punished. Do we know Michaels Hayes' side of the story? For you to jump out there and say he needs to be fired without knowing the full story is ridiculous.

 

[schaeffershawn]

You don't read many stupid statements then do you?

Society as a whole in America has became entirely over sensitized to other people's opinions, other people's statements. Who gives a damn who calls who by what term and what difference does it really make? It doesn't mean a damn thing in the slightest unless the person let's it. It's not like Hayes threatened him in some way. But nowadays with "political correctness" everyone is demonized because they say something that someone else might not like. If you don't like what someone has to say, or how they say it, don't put yourself in the situation where you have to listen to them, simple as that.

Ok seriously this has nothing to do with being too P.C. this is about a term that is in every sense of the word a racist term that has a history of racism and hate. It is never ok. The fact that some blacks use it is neither here nor there. Some Jews make anti-semtic remarks, that does not mean I can call call someone a penny pinching Jew.

And Hayes did not need to threaten him. Hayes was WWE management if Henry says or does anything, all of the sudden Henry is released. That in of itself is a threatening situation. The fact that it happen outside of an Arena is irrelevant. my employer could not come to me and make racist comments and expect no repercussions just because we are outside of work. That is as dumb as teachers who sleep with their students and come up with the lame defense that they were almost 18 and it was outside the home.

 

[Xumer]

Hayes and Henry are still with WWE. If they can get over it that's all that matters.

 

[rjoconnell]

they were drunk. he made a joke. a joke in ill taste, but a joke nonetheless.

is this a serious thread? are there really like 10 replies with all these in depth analysis of what happened? come on people. stop overanalyzing things.

 

[Raito]

You don't hear ******s calling themselves ******s, but that word is ok to say?

White people are scared of the gangster rap image and thats why they freak out over the word.

 

[#hamler]

These have to be the three stupidest statements I have ever read. There is no defense for using the n-word. NONE! Doc Hendrix is lucky that Mark Henry didn't kick the living shit out of him. I don't care what context Hayes was attempting to use the term, it is indefensible. Hayes is a racist tool. Period! And you three are tools for even thinking there could be a plausible explanation for it.

Wow, I described you in my exact post before you even posted. It's idiots like you who take the damn word too seriously and make the situation bigger than what it really seems. Michael Hayes used the N word, big deal. Just because he's southern doesn't make him any kind of racist. You don't know him. I don't know him. So calling him a racist makes you sound like completely idiotic. I live in Kentucky, I'm half black. Do you know how many times I've had one of my red-neck, trashy friends say that to me just to get under my skin; it doesn't work. We’re still friends. The way he used the word was NOT putting Henry down. It was meant to lift him up. Hayes wanted Henry to grow a set. Even if he was drunk, it’s completely true. Do you honestly believe Michael Hayes would still be employed if what you’re making this out to be was actually true?

For fucks sake, the WWE is a billion dollar business. If the incident was so harmful then Hayes would be done. He’s not. He’s Smackdown’s head writer right now. Oh wait; didn’t Henry just have a dominant reign as World Heavyweight Champion? But, but, that can’t be true because Hayes is a racist. Right? Think of some better arguments before posting such a cop out post.

 

[James]

To this day I still get a good laugh from that statement. He was probably saying that in a sense that he dealt with more in his life time than MH did. Almost similar to what slaves went through. I don't know and I don't care. I have always liked P.M.S Hayes

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Hayes is from the south, he used to wear the stars and bars and come out to skynyrd, is it REALLY hard to believe that when he gets drunk he says racist things? People in the south (and I barely live in the south), are a lot more racist than you'd think.

second, I don't think he meant anything racist, in the south, people are told stuff like "if they call each other *****, why can't you" and that there are some blacks that are "more black" than others. It's just ignorance. Hayes is just a dumb drunk southerner who didn't know any better. He probably didn't mean anything by it.

 

[schaeffershawn]

You don't hear ******s calling themselves ******s, but that word is ok to say?

White people are scared of the gangster rap image and thats why they freak out over the word.

Actually their is a huge part of the population who does not agree with ****** being an ok word to say, because of the negativity behind it. Much like their are large sections who do not believe using the words *** or queer. It has nothing to do with white people being afraid of gangster rap, they are the majority of people who buy their cd's. It has to do with a negative term used in the pass and present to raise hate, prejudice and racisim.