MORE LETTERS ON THE MR. McMAHON DIES ANGLE
- 06/15/2007 (9:20:30 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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Hi Georgiann,
This is W.D. Hatfield of Clearwater, Florida. I wanted to respond to the recent posting of yours on the website Wrestlingfigs.com
I really don't understand why the angle had to be played out the way it was played out. It's one thing to kill off a television character, it's another thing to relate that information as truthful and accurate. The big thing for me is that if the limo had just blown up and they had only said Mr. McMahon had been killed in the explosion that would've been one thing, but they didn't. They have played it out on television and their website as though this were a tragedy the same as Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero or countless others. The saddest part of all is that their seems to be more emphasis placed on a farce than on actual deaths in wrestling. Didn't Mike Awesome warrant a ten bell salute? But here this huge publicly traded company ignores the passing of many of their former employees and then glorifies, no, they revel in the passing media attention and mockery of death this stunt has become.
The hardest part for me is trying to understand why. Sure, at the end of the day it's just a wrestling angle designed to provoke many of the feelings I'm feeling right now, but going further into the morality and ethics of what a company should be, one would think that with the multitudes of tragedy that have not just befallen the WWE but the wrestling industry in general, the industry leader would step up to the plate and present a story as a story and factual events as such. Wrestling is about blurring fantasy and reality, but there has to be a clear line of distinction. I feel most sorry for the children who watch WWE shows, and contrary to what anyone believes a large part of WWE's viewing audience are children who honestly believed and probably after viewing Smackdown tonight will believe even more that Vince McMahon and not just the television character Mr. McMahon have died. It has been presented in the same manner.
So what as a viewing consumer can someone do to cease this kind of activity? Well, unfortunately, not much. You can quit watching the show, but ultimately, that's not what you really want to do, because there are other aspects of the show you love. A boycott of a product of this type is not practical.
This is what I propose....how do wrestling fans at a live event make their feelings known? They start chants and bring signs. This not only shows the viewing audience at home how they feel but also the wrestlers and management. WWE wants you to boo at things, they want signs that play along with their ridiculous angles. If you want to impact the show then put this on a sign...
THE VINCE MCMAHON DEATH ANGLE IS STUPID
If you want to tell them how you feel, not just about this angle, but about any angle turn around with your back to the ring and then chant....
THIS IS STUPID
or better yet
WE WANT REFUNDS
If you were a casual viewer and were watching a product where the attending audience was chanting for a refund, then guess what? You probably aren't going to attend that event. That's the only way to truly effect a publicly traded company outside of being a stockholder on the board of directors, hurt their bottom line and ruin their main source of advertising.
All chants started somewhere with one small group of people. At the very least you will feel better by standing as a voice of dissent and disagreement.
These kinds of angles will not stop until the opinion that we don't want them are voiced in a manner that makes it perfectly clear we not going along with it.
Thanks,
W.D. Hatfield
Clearwater, FL
Hello I am a long time wrestling fan and a constant visitor of wrestlingfigs.com I just wanted to say a few words I hope you'll read them Have a great day and god bless!!
Hi first I'd like to express my condolences for Sherri Martel. A true innovator for women and managers alike Sherri never shy'ed away from life managing for years from teams like the Harlem heat to singles like Shawn michaels along the way leading men to gold wherever she went. She was always smiling and knew how to live and knew how to fight. We as fans have truly lost another great person for that we are all very saddened but happy memories are sure to make us realize there are better and brighter days and those happy memories will help all of us get by.
I know it has been hashed to dust but many people seem to ignore the fact that McMahon is making a statement not a literal storyline the very essence of the McMahon dead storyline stunt or whatever you wish to call it is that we as the general wrestling fan populace will never again see the McMahon character we will never again hear " your fired " and never again see any superstars inducted into the kiss my ass club is it correct for a ten bell salute no is it supposed to be glorified no but make no mistake McMahon has and always will be a wrestling genius as dusty said on the night of the stunt you don't have to like him you don't have to agree with him but you have to respect him not as a person a commentator or promoter a CEO or chairman or president but as a showman a presider of the wrestling ring a man That has time after time made us cringe with disgust question his decisions and ultimately wonder why he is who he is and at other time delighted us with segments and shows regaled us with tales and brang to life the very business that as wrestling fans we love that we live and breathe for and has given us memories that last a lifetime on a stage that has seen the likes of so many greats live and die if Eddie Guerrero Owen or any of the other in ring performers who we have lost too soon were here i don't honestly think they would support it but you must respect that he knows something in the end it is the death of the McMahon era and the beginning of something else
he is after all the ringmaster and we shall no longer hear him utter any prophetic words declare his superiority or entertain us with his over the top personality or maybe its just another storyline but if it is either way controversy sells just look hes got the whole world talking its not pretty its not nice but it may be the greatest trick the ringmaster McMahon has ever pulled.
I for one don't agree with most things he does but I will miss the Mr McMahon character if not for his wit then certainly for his ability to make the crowd cheer every time he was stunnered rock bottomed or just generally being knocked around.
The death of a character of a personality of a fictional person in no way deserves a ten bell salute but I hope Vince McMahon knows that now I think we all do.
Sincerely JIM in Connecticut
Editors Note: What's terribly sad now is that our dear friend Sherri Martel really has passed away.
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