Viacom, TNN and TSN all pretty pissed about HLA

[Guest Steve J. Rogers]

From 1wrestling by way of 411wrestling:

 

>TNN, its parent company CBS-Viacom, and TSN are all upset over >the "HLA" segment that aired on RAW last night. TNN has already made it >clear to WWE that they will not accept that type of programming on their >network and released the following statement earlier to 1wrestling.com:

>"TNN takes serious issue with the content of Monday night's WWE RAW >episode, and has expressed its deep concern to the WWE. We don't >condone the content of this episode, and will work diligently to ensure >that similar occurrences do not appear again on our network."

 

This from a network that broadcasts Babewatch and gives alluring Pam Anderson ads (as well as ads with a geek lusting after a Klingon's cleavage)

 

Begs the question though, over WHAT part of the segment do they object to? The kiss? If so have they noticed all the catfights in strange vats over the last three or so years? Or the fact that ALL of the females of the WWF/E tend to wear the most revealing of clothing. Also this IS live TV someone should have been on the phone calling Vince at Iowa St (or anyone in the truck) demanding that the segment NOT go on as they only were promoting it for about an hour and a half. Or did they object to the huge Samoan violence against women? And thats different than say all times the Dudleys have put Lita/Trish/Stacy/Mae Young through tables? Or Austin/HHH brutalizing Lita? Or Austin/Jericho/HHH giving Steph beatings?

 

Seems very much like a situation where the WWE woke up a sleeping dog if this is the case (granted I'd have to go back to see how many of the Dudley incidents were on TNN) because I think the Island Boyz segement is the part that was objectionable in their eyes, unless their switchboard was flooded by people exaggerating the situation with the kiss and touching

 

Steve

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Pretty much all the Dudley incidents were on TNN with an occasional Smackdown here, PPV there thrown in.

[Guest treble charged]

I think some of the early Dudleyz stuff (Terri comes to mind) actually took place on USA, before the big switch.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

This from a network that broadcasts Babewatch and gives alluring Pam Anderson ads (as well as ads with a geek lusting after a Klingon's cleavage)

 

Begs the question though, over WHAT part of the segment do they object to?

Probably the fact that they couldn't put "THIS KISS IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY (Sponsor)!"

 

WWE is still making higher ratings than anything on TNN. I doubt that TNN is pissed at all, but is making this statement to cover their asses in case anyone complains.

 

It's like anytime WCW said they would punish Nash or a Steiner.

[Guest DJ Jeff]

I didn't find anything wrong with the HLA last night. There was nothing revealing at all. It's not like they were in the nude during the segment either.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

I think some of the early Dudleyz stuff (Terri comes to mind) actually took place on USA, before the big switch.

Yeah, you're right. The Terri/Torrie/Tori stuff all happened on USA. In fact, the Mae incident happened on USA as well.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

is it just me or did switching to TNN hurt the WWE's ratings?

 

just asking

[Guest Army Eye]

Yes it definitely did. USA was the top-rated cable network at the time; I don't know it if still is. TNN was total crap at the time, and is a littlt better now but still crap.

[Guest DJ Jeff]

Actually, USA was more popular than TNN. Once the WWE switched to TNN, the ratings dropped. You'd think by now Vince realized that, but apparently not.

[Guest Hogan Made Wrestling]

Switching didn't really affect anything, it was more a matter of circumstance (they switched after their peak in mid-2000, things were already starting to cool down). Vince makes more money being on TNN anyway (since the network pays him more for the rights to the show). Once again, a lesson that TV ratings are not the be-all, end-all of decision makers.

[Guest Singular]

TNN has a problem with a 10 minute lesbian segment that didn't really raise any bar as far as nudity or violence goes, but has no problem at all airing "Son of the Beach", A show that has more sexual innuendo than Jerry Lawler's imagination could ever produce. Sounds kinda hypocritical

[Guest swan]

At the time of the switch USA had more clearence than TNN, but of course since TNN dropped it's hick programing they did get more clearance. How much, not sure. But the WWF was already starting to lose some steam at the time anyways.

[Guest Hogan Made Wrestling]

Frankly, I would love for ANYONE to explain how the HLA segment was more offensive the the 2nd VM KMA club segment (the one with JR). In the lesbo seg, you have two people, wearing clothing, voluntarily doing mild sexual activities. IN the KMA seg, you have Vince's bare ass and another man being forced to kiss it against his will, a practical sexual assault. I'm thinking that their real problem is that it was 2 women rather than a woman and a man, but they don't want to say that because they would appear bigoted.

[Guest EricMM]

IMO I think it's pretty clear that Viacom is fearing a backlash from GLAAD or the like crying violence against gay/lesbian people.

 

I don't know if such a outcry is coming or not, but if it does, they want to be sure to put all the blame on Vince not themselves.

 

Clearly wrestling has never been the worst show on TV in terms of content, but it's always been more famous than Son of the Beach.

[Guest Trivia247]

maybe they dismiss the Dudley's Putting women through tables, because its done in a Wrestling move where if you look Bubba is taking most of the Punishment on his ass Crashing it through the table then just dropping the woman in the debris...

 

Kinda different than a Samoan Wrestler who hasn't even wrestled yet STIFFLY Connects with a Kick That Floors a woman and causes some Incidental Internal Injuries... Kinda like if a Guy PUNCHES a woman..

[Guest DJ Jeff]

The "Kiss My Ass Club" was worse than the HLA last night, yet, I didn't hear TNN complaining. Maybe the producers at TNN are gay.

[Guest Downhome]

Let me put it this way. The HLA last night was just another straw upon the back of the cammel. I can't take much more of these "shocking" moments, period. I'm not saying I'll stop watching, but I'm at the point where I will actually quite watching segments all together. I never turn the channel, I always hold in there in hopes that good comes from it. I am swaying from that though, as I am growing very tired of what WWE is doing.

 

Don't get me started on Lawler last night, as that mother f*cker forced me to watch the majority of the show last night on mute. F*ck Lawler and his "commentary". Right now, he's my least favorite commentator ever, period. I have never been forced to mute large exerts of a show, but last night, it did it.

[Guest Trivia247]

I already emailed WWE about Lawler... He needs to take some pills or take a nap .

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

The "Kiss My Ass Club" was worse than the HLA last night, yet, I didn't hear TNN complaining. Maybe the producers at TNN are gay.

I get the feeling that even though they say they're disappointed in WWE, etc etc etc, the people at TNN are secretely card-carrying members of The Club.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

It probably has more to do with Lawler (and how it was built) than with the segment itself.

[Guest The Tino Standard]

I already emailed WWE about Lawler... He needs to take some pills or take a nap .

So did I.

[Guest Angle-plex]

Somebody e-mail WWE and tell them that we need Ventura back. Lawler would have fucked up last nights show even if every match on there was *****, because all he would be talking about would be "HLA".

[Guest bob_barron]

TNN has a problem with a 10 minute lesbian segment that didn't really raise any bar as far as nudity or violence goes, but has no problem at all airing "Son of the Beach", A show that has more sexual innuendo than Jerry Lawler's imagination could ever produce. Sounds kinda hypocritical

Son of the Beach is on FX not TNN.

 

FX is owned by News Corp

TNN is owned by Viacom

[Guest snowfan]

I already emailed WWE about Lawler... He needs to take some pills or take a nap .

So did I.

same here...

 

maybe just maybe we'll get him canned or told to tone it down.

[Guest HartFan86]

Maybe if the WWE got rid of Lawler and got Ventura on there instead, then maybe the commentary would be on the match, not on HLA. And you know, the WWE wonders why they aren't doing good business....it's cause wrestling sucks. They need to focus on the WRESTLING cause god forbid it's proven that the WWF does a shit load of better business focusing on wrestling instead of stupid angles like this. Proof? The year 2000. Ugh, WWE pisses me off too much...but I can't help but watch it.

[Guest HartFan86]

Double Post.

[Guest jester]

They're probably made at the lesbians for the sheer gratuity of it. At least B&C is an ongoing angle. This came out of nowhere and Bischoff practicaly bragged that it was being done for the hell of it. That alone might not be the problem, but the violence against women had to push it over the edge, especially so soon after the "sensuality."

 

As for the women wrestlers, Trish and Molly aren't shown as helpless victims. They occasionally dish out violence to men, so they're not shown as helpless. When they get punked out, they get payback later.

 

I know the two lesbians were wrestlers too, but that's not how they were presented. I've even heard of Looney Lane, but didn't recognize her until after she was identified. And how many marks new they were trained to take bumps? They looked like two civilians who just got beat up for nothing (and it probably isn't sitting well that one was legit injured). That's probably why everyone's upset.

 

On a lighter note, fuck Lawler. He so needs to guest star on Oz as the biggest prag in the prison.

[Guest Quik]

I don't recall Bubba powerbumping a half naked woman through a table.

 

Bischoff called it "sex and violence". I thought it was pretty fucked up, and I'm pretty laid back with that sort of thing. The stiff kick to start didn't help matters, either. Fat fucking Somoans. Is there a racial slur for Somoans?

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Pacific Jungle Bunnies? Tree Hoppers?

 

I have no idea.

 

I do know that I yelled "HOLY SHIT!!!" when the superkick collapsed the ribcage of the blonde.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Is there a racial slur for Somoans?

Whether there is or not, it won't be said on these boards.