Brian Solomon's Thoughts From Monday Night

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

Where do I begin?

by Brian Solomon

 

You know, I was going to write a safe little column eulogizing the Intercontinental Championship, but to hell with it. Someone has to say something. It’s what everyone here has been talking about all day, that’s for sure.

 

What occurred Monday night on RAW is without question the most controversial and potentially offensive thing that WWE has ever put on the air. It made HLA seem like a Jane Austen novel. For those of you who have been living in an underground bunker since Monday night, the show featured a pre-taped vignette in which Triple H—disguised as Kane—simulates sex with what is supposed to be the corpse of Katie Vick, the woman he accused Kane of murdering.

 

Now, this section of the site is reserved for commentary, meaning that writers can express their honest opinions. Negative opinions must, by definition, be a part of that content. I think it’s safe to say that any sane person, no matter how supportive they are of WWE, would have to admit that valid negative arguments can be made with regards to what aired Monday night. Therefore, let me simply state that I did not enjoy what I saw on RAW this week.

 

As a fan, I want to be entertained by what I watch on Monday and Thursday nights, and very often I am. I am not entertained by necrophilia. I don’t think that’s such an outrageous and controversial opinion to have, whether I work here or not. It’s perfectly understandable for someone to be offended by what they saw last night, and a great many of you were. This has to be acknowledged. It’s like the old cliché about the elephant sitting in the corner during a dinner party, and everyone pretends it isn’t there.

 

Well, allow me to state that I see the elephant. Your criticisms are real, and deserve mention. Because the fans are the ones who put bread on our table, and if we turn you guys off, then you turn us off.

 

I’ve received emails from life-long WWE viewers who are telling me they’re never going to watch again. That’s just a statement of fact. Something that had the power to piss so many people off and drive some of them to such an extreme position has to be looked at, and looked at closely. In terms of responsibility, was it prudent to depict simulated necrophilia? Maybe there are a lot of you out there who aren’t all bent out of shape about this. Maybe some of us here are simply overreacting, and overestimating the sensitivities of our audience. I sure as hell hope so.

 

As a parent, I know the segment weighed heavily on my mind. I’ve always argued that sports-entertainment is really not ideal programming for small children under any circumstances, and after last night I doubt many would disagree.

 

Like I’ve stated in the past, I want WWE to be the best it can be, as a fan, and now as an employee. It is, quite obviously, in my best interest for this company to do well. Forget my own personal opinions of the vignette—whether I liked it or not, the fans have the final word. I was personally bored to tears by the “Rock, This is Your Life” segment on RAW several years ago, but it was one of our highest-rated segments ever. If I dislike it, and fans love it, then so be it. But if the fans are speaking up and they’re not happy, then we’ve got an issue on our hands.

 

Watching the segment unfold Monday night, my initial reaction was total and complete shock and disbelief. That’s the simplest way I can describe it. The idea of necrophilia on an episode of RAW is something that was beyond even my distorted imagination. Who could have seen that one coming? Panic was another emotion that surfaced. To those who have targeted WWE and our product in the past, this would certainly be powerful ammunition for their cause. I wondered what, if any, viewer or network backlash there might be. Looking at matters from a purely practical standpoint, I simply didn’t want this thing to have a negative effect on the company I work for, and I could clearly see how it might.

 

Over the last few months, the down-turn of the sports-entertainment industry has been analyzed and discussed ad nauseam. It’s safe to say that things are not going as well as people in the business would like. During times like this, risky and seemingly crazy things are sometimes attempted. Five years ago, this company took a huge chance and altered the direct of the product, resulting in “Attitude”. That paid off. But many risks do not—that’s why they call them “risks”, boys and girls. We need to be aware that, especially during times like these, all risk is accompanied by the serious chance of failure. That’s why we have to be supremely sure that the risk is worth taking.

 

Was Monday night’s risk worth taking? That’s the big question. It’s a very real possibility that the answer is no. We have to accept that, and learn from that if need be. If it was abjectly awful, if it was in poor taste, if it was damaging to our product, we have to acknowledge it, fix the problem, and move on. I’m not out here to ridicule anything for the sake of being critical. I’m just raising a concern.

 

In recent weeks, I seem to have gained a reputation as a “rogue columnist”, spewing negative opinions just for the fun of being negative. But I’m not trying to fill that role, or play some kind of character. I’m also not trying to bury our product. I understand my position within this company and on this site, and I always make sure that that understanding guides me as I’m expressing my opinions.

 

That said, all I’m doing is taking a frank look at something that everyone is talking about anyway, and trying to be as honest about it as I possibly can. I can’t sit here and pretend that there’s no validity to people’s feelings of revulsion. I did not feel comfortable watching Triple H get it on with a cadaver. I’m not sure we didn’t cross the line.

 

Do you agree? Do you disagree? Because that’s what it all comes down to: open dialogue. No one, not me or any of you, wants to hurt this product. Rather, we want the exact opposite. Honest, open discussion is crucial to the sustained improvement of WWE. That’s all I’m really trying to say.

 

Let me know what you think about you saw. Drop me an email at [email protected].

 

http://www.wwe.com/news/commentary/brians/1184277

 

Credit: WWE.com

[Guest snowfan]

Hey-uh we have a new-uh position-uh for you-uh.

 

Hope you like-uh scrubbing-uh the toilets here in Titan Tower-uh...

[Guest jester]

Ok, here's my problem with that article, that attitude, and this whole angle.

 

Everyone keeps going on about being shocked and offended. WWE actually wants me to be shocked and offended, so hopefully the outrage will trigger widestream coverage.

 

But it didn't shock or offend me. Quite frankly, WWE, your pussy team of writers don't have what it takes to shock me. So stop trying.

 

What you did do is make me feel insulted. You actually thought I'd find this entertaining? Or that you could provoke such a reaction from me? You're wrong. I just hung my head. I didn't write an angry letter. I didn't call 20 friends and the TV station. I just did something else until the wrestling came back on.

 

That is why the angle is a failure. The mainstream press was only just recently swerved by the gay wedding angle, so they aren't going to bite at the next bit of bait you offer.

 

Jesus, I wish TNA had the resources to compete more directly against WWE. I think that would smarten them up real quick.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

Can we stop posting these? They nothing but bullshit every week.

 

"We on the news yet?"

 

"Not yet, Dad-uh"

 

"But I'm VINCE MCMAHON DAMMIT!"

 

"You have-uh my word, Jericho-uh will pay"

[Guest gthureson]

Hey-uh we have a new-uh position-uh for you-uh.

 

Hope you like-uh scrubbing-uh the toilets here in Titan Tower-uh...

You know, for a site of 'smart marks', there seem to be alot of people who haven't caught on to one thing:

 

If its coming out of the WWE, it's a work.

[Guest snowfan]

Hey-uh we have a new-uh position-uh for you-uh.

 

Hope you like-uh scrubbing-uh the toilets here in Titan Tower-uh...

You know, for a site of 'smart marks', there seem to be alot of people who haven't caught on to one thing:

 

If its coming out of the WWE, it's a work.

dude....

 

I know that.

 

Thing is if there ever were a shoot by a guy with a GC he'd become TL Hopper....

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

I wasn't shocked or offended. I just thought it was stupid. I wanted to see good wrestling and what did I get? Some crappy SE segment. I don't watch wrestling to be offended and outraged. But it always seems to outrage me b/c of all the stupid shit they pull.

You know what shocks me WWE? When I see a new innovative move or an awesome match. Then I'm like "Wow...that was awesome." Angle and Benoit putting on clinics makes me happy. UT bleeding everywhere and putting Brock Lesnar over makes me happy. HHH having sex with a dummy does nothing but make me hate you more.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

What was that feedback address again?

[Guest jester]

You know, for a site of 'smart marks', there seem to be alot of people who haven't caught on to one thing:

 

If its coming out of the WWE, it's a work.

Of course it's a work. That's part of my my point. He's basically he's offended and outraged, basically acting how WWE wants people to react.

 

But I am not offended. Just not interested. And vaguely amused that they expect rating to turn around because of this.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

"We on the news yet?"

 

"Not yet, Dad-uh"

 

"But I'm VINCE MCMAHON DAMMIT!"

 

"You have-uh my word, Jericho-uh will pay"

 

-My God this is funny.

[LooseCannon25 0]

Nice try by WWE setting up that worked column. Hopefully nobody even reads into it TOO much, so they dont get any publicity out of it. If you're on wwe.com and something is said thats not benefitting them or positive comments, then you damn sure better know its a work.

[Guest Pop Culture God]

I'm pretty sure that Brian was asked to write the pro-wrestling anti-SE column just so it could be rebutted.

 

Brian isn't a "rogue" he's a guy we want to believe is on our side, but we know will end up turning on us. Like Arn Anderson with Sting.

[Guest Mulatto Heat]

And watch Anthony Cali put up a column before week's end saying that he absolutely LOVED the skit and that it'll turn the company around.

 

"Stop Wrestling and Screw Dead Chicks"

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

So when with the inevitable Anthony Cali run in on a Brian Solomon column occur?