Wrestling's Scummiest Moment Ever?

[drew wardlaw]

At the end of the day you're right, they're raising money for a worthy cause, but Stephanie even said herself that "philanthropy is the future of marketing." That combined with what Justin Roberts said about them kind of creating their own narrative to show the audience, in my opinion, turns it into a marketing tool. Again, like you said, a family got support they otherwise wouldn't have gotten and now more people will too, so the ends justify the means I'd say, but that doesn't make the means any less scummy to me.

[supremebve]

At the end of the day you're right, they're raising money for a worthy cause, but Stephanie even said herself that "philanthropy is the future of marketing." That combined with what Justin Roberts said about them kind of creating their own narrative to show the audience, in my opinion, turns it into a marketing tool. Again, like you said, a family got support they otherwise wouldn't have gotten and now more people will too, so the ends justify the means I'd say, but that doesn't make the means any less scummy to me.

I can see where you're coming from, but I'd say their partnership with the Komen group is worse. Those people trying to bully others about breast cancer is about as scummy as it gets.

[drew wardlaw]

 

 

At the end of the day you're right, they're raising money for a worthy cause, but Stephanie even said herself that "philanthropy is the future of marketing." That combined with what Justin Roberts said about them kind of creating their own narrative to show the audience, in my opinion, turns it into a marketing tool. Again, like you said, a family got support they otherwise wouldn't have gotten and now more people will too, so the ends justify the means I'd say, but that doesn't make the means any less scummy to me.

I can see where you're coming from, but I'd say their partnership with the Komen group is worse. Those people trying to bully others about breast cancer is about as scummy as it gets.

I forgot about the Koman stuff. Yeah I think I agree with you.

[Al]

Didn't FMW run an angle with Invader I stabbing Atsushi Onita?

 

There's got to be a ton of stuff from the territory era overlooked. Anything Billy Wolfe did. Or Toots Mondt.

[Infinit]

Didn't FMW run an angle with Invader I stabbing Atsushi Onita?

 

 

Didn't they propose the match just to get Invader to come to Japan, where he would get some frontier justice for Brody's death?

[flyonthewall2983]

Umaga squashing Roddy and Dusty was pretty bad.

[JaymeFuture]

I want to thank everybody for the contributions, we got to read many of them on the show, which is now available at the following link:

http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/play/vhqi8e/SCGRadio67-ScummiestMomentsPart1.mp3

Join us for Part 1 of our 2 Part Series looking at some of the Scummiest Moments in Wrestling History, as the panel takes your nominations for the lofty title, talking Over The Edge 99, Al Wilson, the many lowbrow acts of Fritz Von Erich, the Lex Luger Confidential Piece, Oklahoma, Vince McMahon's treatment of Jim Ross, the Benoit Tribute Show, the exploitation of Melanie Pillman, the Muhammed Hassan angle with the Undertaker and many, many more. Check it out and let us know what you think!

[JMFabianoRPL]

Well, looks like I'll have to see if I can get into part two, huh?

 

How about how indy "talent" treats its fans?

 

I have a friend who just so much as mentioned what could have been better on the show, and because another fan tattled on her, the "face" of said company posted an abusive public message on his Facebook encouraging his fans to attack her there and by email. Sadly this grudge against my friend started 1-2 years ago based on lies and gossip from other people, and apparently this person also said he hoped she died/jumped off a roof on FB as well. And that's just the tippy top of the scum we've met that runs indy promotions.

 

 

Also, how about:

 

Kurt Angle telling Jeff Jarrett that he wasn't the only one to lose a wife (this was when JJ's wife died of cancer)?

 

RIP Roddy Piper, you were great, but the whole TNA/Russo/Owen Hart speech?

 

WWF/E using Owen Hart's death as a template for "this is REAL" storylines....most notably Chyna at RR01 (complete with Jerry leaving commentary to check on her) and when Rock got the "smackdown on his crippled ass" in the ambulance...I believe they brought out the "show must go on" line and had wrestlers seeming distracted afterwards.

 

We covered Von Erichsploitation, and Eddiesploitation....let us not forget Paul Bearer was a victim of this too.

 

One could say Kanyon bumping off a cage in Kemper Arena...but we can chalk that up to WCW just being clueless.

 

Didn't the Freebirds make fun of Eddie Graham or someone?

 

Back to the indies, we know that there are companies who trot out easy-to-fake masked former WWE superstars like Doink and the Patriot. YMMV about how offensive that is, but one company also had a fake Golga, and kept promoting him as "original WWE oddity." And this was years after John Tenta died!

 

More Rob Black scummage...not XPW related but he threatened to feed a Chihuahua live online to his pet snake, only to claim he was just kidding at the last minute or so.

[JRH]

 

Back to the indies, we know that there are companies who trot out easy-to-fake masked former WWE superstars like Doink and the Patriot. YMMV about how offensive that is, but one company also had a fake Golga, and kept promoting him as "original WWE oddity." And this was years after John Tenta died!

 

 

There was also a guy on the indies using the Mortis gimmick even after Kanyon died.

[Mad Dog]

I don't think the fake Doinks are that bad. Everyone knows it's not the real one. Tom Brandi stealing the Patriot gimmick is pretty scummy though.

[cactus]

Really enjoying the podcast so far. Good stuff!

 

Not so much scummy, but one of the most carniest thing I've heard is when a fan asked Colt Cabana for a photo after a show, he obliged, and then asked for ten dollars after the deed was done. Fuck that. If paying beforehand for an awkward photo with a wrestler isn't awkward enough, Colt has to go and take the piss.

[Migs]

Really enjoying the podcast so far. Good stuff!

 

Not so much scummy, but one of the most carniest thing I've heard is when a fan asked Colt Cabana for a photo after a show, he obliged, and then asked for ten dollars after the deed was done. Fuck that. If paying beforehand for an awkward photo with a wrestler isn't awkward enough, Colt has to go and take the piss.

 

For what it's worth, I've taken photos with Colt a couple of times, and he's never asked for money.

[artDDP]

Well, looks like I'll have to see if I can get into part two, huh?

 

How about how indy "talent" treats its fans?

 

I have a friend who just so much as mentioned what could have been better on the show, and because another fan tattled on her, the "face" of said company posted an abusive public message on his Facebook encouraging his fans to attack her there and by email. Sadly this grudge against my friend started 1-2 years ago based on lies and gossip from other people, and apparently this person also said he hoped she died/jumped off a roof on FB as well. And that's just the tippy top of the scum we've met that runs indy promotions.

 

 

Also, how about:

 

Kurt Angle telling Jeff Jarrett that he wasn't the only one to lose a wife (this was when JJ's wife died of cancer)?

 

RIP Roddy Piper, you were great, but the whole TNA/Russo/Owen Hart speech?

 

WWF/E using Owen Hart's death as a template for "this is REAL" storylines....most notably Chyna at RR01 (complete with Jerry leaving commentary to check on her) and when Rock got the "smackdown on his crippled ass" in the ambulance...I believe they brought out the "show must go on" line and had wrestlers seeming distracted afterwards.

 

We covered Von Erichsploitation, and Eddiesploitation....let us not forget Paul Bearer was a victim of this too.

 

One could say Kanyon bumping off a cage in Kemper Arena...but we can chalk that up to WCW just being clueless.

 

Didn't the Freebirds make fun of Eddie Graham or someone?

 

Back to the indies, we know that there are companies who trot out easy-to-fake masked former WWE superstars like Doink and the Patriot. YMMV about how offensive that is, but one company also had a fake Golga, and kept promoting him as "original WWE oddity." And this was years after John Tenta died!

 

More Rob Black scummage...not XPW related but he threatened to feed a Chihuahua live online to his pet snake, only to claim he was just kidding at the last minute or so.

 

Someone tipped off the authorities and that's why Black axed the snake stunt.

[clintthecrippler]

I don't think the fake Doinks are that bad. Everyone knows it's not the real one. Tom Brandi stealing the Patriot gimmick is pretty scummy though.

I once went to an indie show that had a fake Doink AND a fake La Parka.

 

Luckily the show was headlined by real Haku, so in the end the night was still a win, but when I can tell the guy in the La Parka costume is just a white guy from Wisconsin even when he is fully obscured from head to toe, that is some serious BULLshit.

[Ricky Jackson]

I'll see your fake Doink and raise you a fake Kimchee

 

 

"Hey Doink, gain some weight"

[JMFabianoRPL]

Just started listening....great job! I wonder, what boards did you post to looking for suggestions, besides this one?

[JaymeFuture]

Thank you very much (and thank you too Cactus) for the kind words. Typically here, F4W, the UK Fan Forum, TPWW and WrestlingForum. The variety of takes and different types of fan feedback from each place makes for a good balance I think.

[JRH]

Would the NWO Horsemen sketch count? Though to be fair, I remember reading that it was originally going to end with the Horsemen doing a run-in at the end and beating down the nwo (with Arn at the top of the ramp clapping), but they nixed it so that the nwo DIDNT get their comeuppance. Even then, they went after issues that had nothing to do with Arn the wrestler but Arn the person (ie, the references to drinking).

[JMFabianoRPL]

I must look at the sites just to see the variety of answers people came up with. Or...I can listen to the podcast, can't I? ;-)

 

Has anyone brought up (or will you in part one) Doing Business, Fabulous Moolah Style to you yet?

 

I think there was a Dr. Wagner Jr. skit where he fights a real cat. I never saw said skit so not sure if the animal abuse was played out in a cartoony way, but just thought I'd put it out there. Even faked animal cruelty can be disturbing, in any form of entertainment.

 

I debated a bit, as such, but since it was played more serious than the Big Show deal, I'd put the Bossman vs. Pepper angle here too. Plus it did lead to the fan disservice of having Kennel From Hell.

[Judy Bagwell]

sunnys "sextape"

[JRH]

Would Gene Okerlund insulting Brady Boone on the WCW Hotline after his death count (he said the only reason nobody had a bad thing to say about Boone was because nobody knew who he was) qualify? Or how about the WWF not informing fans of Joey Marella's death until after the run of episodes taped with Marella as referee had aired?

[JMFabianoRPL]

Would Gene Okerlund insulting Brady Boone on the WCW Hotline after his death count (he said the only reason nobody had a bad thing to say about Boone was because nobody knew who he was) qualify? Or how about the WWF not informing fans of Joey Marella's death until after the run of episodes taped with Marella as referee had aired?

 

What about the plug for the deceased former world champion? (It turned out to be Jerry Blackwell...but Gene didn't name names in the advertisement)

[PeteF3]

Right, and that hotline plug came during the time when Flair was off TV, trying to fool fans into thinking it was he who was dead.

 

I'm not sure about the Marella thing...I'm in the camp that that was just an awkward situation all around. I'd like to think that Vince had Gorilla's input and blessing on how to handle that. Forget kayfabe for a second--announcing that Joey was dead immediately and then having him on TV for 3 weeks just sounds morbid.

[JMFabianoRPL]

Has anything comparable happened in wrestling before? (being live almost every week and then, well, that we had much more frequent wrestling deaths changed that, I presume)

 

In the game show world, there have been many instances where someone passed away between tapings, and an announcement or a cut-in before the show would be made to tell what had happened. Off the top of my head...

- FloJo being on Hollywood Squares, but her week playing when she passed away...Whoopi did an announcement to be placed before each episode as needed.

- Johnny Olson's death...they fit in a segment on a Price is Right episode where Bob Barker did a tribute and mentioned you'd be hearing him still in upcoming episodes.

- Same with Charlie O'Donnell and Wheel of Fortune.

- Not a death, but the beginning of a terminal illness...when Allen Ludden fell ill and could not continue hosting Password Plus, the last four weeks of episodes had a voiceover over Allen's entrance explaining what had happened and this was before illness forced him into retirement.

- There's one other "voiceover" instance but I can't remember it.

 

Non-GS example: I clearly recall the Donald Duck birthday special (yes...) having a graphic at the end of the show plastered on mentioning the recent death of his original voice, Clarence Nash.

 

Now that I've gone this way and that with the topic....anyway...have wrestling shows ever retained people who passed away during the airings of X taping of whatever? Besides the Marella example?

[Anders]

Does anyone remember this incident? I was like 10 but I swear to God this happened.

 

I think it was Chyna vs. Patterson and Brisco on RAW main eventing. There was a part in the match that Chyna seem dazed out. Brisco and Patterson started laughing at her and then I think started groping her tits. The censors blurred it out so it was hard to make of what was going on but I thought it was them lifting her top out and just laughing at her. As a kid, it really disturbed me.