Thursday, October 23, 2008
Vince wants wrestlers called "entertainers?"
Photo courtesy of Myspace.com
Late last night, I read a report on PWInsider.com that stated World Wrestling Entertainment [WWE] has told all of their on-air announcers to start referring to the wrestlers as "entertainers" and to avoid calling them wrestlers, or even superstars, on all future broadcasts.
The reason for this sudden and unusual request is because WWE wants to begin classifying themselves as an entertainment touring company rather than a legitimate sporting event in an attempt to avoid falling under the jurisdiction of many state Athletic Commissions and getting out having to pay taxes for their touring events.
This just further proves that Vince McMahon needs to hand the company over to either Stephanie or Shane, who would be my personal preference. It appears the older Vince gets, the more he comes up with outlandish and ridiculous ideas and schemes. Do I have to mention his wonderful ideas of "Katie Vick," "Father vs. Daughter I Quit Match," and the rejected incest storyline of him wanting to be the father of Stephanie's un-born child? The man is clearly Looney-Tunes!
How long does Vince actually think this will last? I mean, professional wrestling has been around forever and saying John Cena, for example, had a life-long dream to become a professional "entertainer" doesn't have the same punch to it as saying he had a life-long dream to become a professional "wrestler."
Also, anyone who thinks professional wrestling it is a legitimate sporting event rather than an exhibition needs to slapped upside the head, especially since way back in 1989, McMahon publicly admitted his company was "sports-entertainment" in order to get around the regulation of the State Athletic Commission in New Jersey, where "Summerslam 89" was held. I guess Vince has now figured a way out to take care of the other 49-states.
This leads me to believe one of two things...either Vince is hard-up for money, which I doubt since he gave away five-times as much money as he spends on taxes, or, he is finally making good on what he promised to do back in 1999 when he told Reuters-Business Recorder that WWE is a variety show as opposed to wrestling. "This is not two guys in their underwear in the ring. We're going way beyond that," said McMahon. "One day we will figure out how to take the word 'wrestling' out of World Wrestling Entertainment. I like to think we are in the mainstream public entertainment business."
Having just finished watching this week's ECW on Sci-Fi episode on wwe.com, it appears this is being enforced as color-commentator Matt Striker referred to Finlay, Evan Bourne and Mark Henry as "entertainers" and not "superstars" during the main-event.
Somewhere right now, mens such as Lou Thez, Buddy Rodgers, Stu Hart, Owen Hart, Brian Pillman, Wahoo McDaniel and all the other deceased professional wrestlers are rolling-around in their graves as a result of this news.
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