Worst of the Worst

[xxxdaniel_ariesxxx]

With the recent ESPN documentary about Scott Hall it made me remember one of the worst storylines that I've ever seen, the "Scott Hall is an addict" storyline from WCW in '98.

I am very hard to offend with most things (I thought the Katie Vick angle was stupid and childish, but not really too offensive) but the angle that WCW ran about Scott Hall's addictions just made me feel dirty after watching it each week. Allowing him to go onscreen obviously intoxicated, when it was starting to become more widely known that he really did have a major problem with drugs and alcohol, was just way over the line of common sense and good judgement. Even if he was "just pretending" while onscreen, he really did have those problems off screen, and he wasn't pretending then. Instead of trying to help him get the help he needed, even if that meant releasing him from his contract, they decided to put his very real issues out on their show as a form of "entertainment" thus making light of a very serious situation.

So, my question is this; What is the worst storyline that you've ever personally seen that you just felt went "too far" or crossed the line between real life personal issues and entertainment?

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Agreed. I dont think it was necessary and was a completely unneccesary thing for WCW to do.

If they knew Scott had a serious issue with addiction then they should have helped him to get the support he needed in order to conquer his demon. Using that in a storyline was exactly the wrong thing they should have been doing. Hall had a serious problem then, and still does today. If WCW had supported him more then perhaps he wouldnt be in the state he is now.

I am not a fan of storylines like this anyway. It isnt what wrestling is about. I rank the Hall addiction storyline alongside the "Custody of Dominik" and "Katie Vick" as just pointless bad-taste storylines.

Also, didn't WWE do a similar storyline with Hawk who also had addiction issues? I am sure I remember him falling off the titantron or something like that?

 

[berlinbrawler]

Yeah, WCW managing Scot Hall's serious problems by booking him as a drunk is pretty much the most irresponsible, idiotic thing any wrestling promotion has ever done (Aside from the genius idea of having wrestlers lowered down into the ring from the ceiling, obviously).


But you have a point when you make a distinction between stupid and offensive.

There have been plenty of really stupid and tasteless storylines. You mentioned Katie Vick. Then there was Mae Young giving birth to a hand. Mark Henry dating a tranny. Yakuzza's trying to cut off Val Venis' penis (they even brought in John Bobbit for that to comfort Val). Vince re-enacting JR's colon surgery. Vince and Shane vs HBK and God. Torrie Wilson's "dad" dying off a heart attack while having sex with Dawn Marie.

Just about the only offensive thing that comes to mind is Mae Young showing her tits at the Royal Rumble 2000.
... On second thought, no, that wasn't offensive, either. Just utterly disgusting.

I am more inclined to feeling offended when a storyline is just plain insulting to the audience's intelligence, rather than in poor taste.
Instances when wrestlers apparently are really trying to kill each other come to mind, as the camera crew just keeps filming rather than calling the police. And that's just one aspect of it that doesn't make sense.
So Kane tying up RVD and pouring gasoline over him, Taker and Paul Bearer trying to stab Austin to death, Austin lifting a car with Triple H in it with a forklift and dropping it upside down...
Then there were the good old WCW days. Remember Abdullah the Butcher getting electrocuted in an electric chair? Robocop walking down to the ring to free Sting from a cage?

Anyway, my point is I've never really been offended by anything in wrestling. Just insulted.

 

[LorenzoVargas1977]

Hmm,I think when Big Show's dad died of cancer and the Big Boss Man showing up at the funeral in a cop car and loud speaker to drag Show's dads casket.I get annoyed when a wrestlers loved one passes away and writer feel the need to turn it into a storyline(Lawler/Cole I'm looking at you).