UPN Bans Hassan Permanently

[cbacon 0]

It actually doesn't matter. Hassan could come out as a squeaky clean babyface and the networks would still want him off. RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT, there's a big backlash towards Mark Magnus and WWE concerning the Hassan gimmick. The damage has been done. The best thing to do is kill him off and take him off TV for a bit and repackage him.

 

But it dosen't make sense to ban a character based on one bad angle/incident. Why not ban Torrie Wilson for the abortion of the Al Wilson angle? Then ban Triple H and Kane because of Katie Vick. The premise of Hassans gimmick isn't that he's a terrorist. If you isolate that one incident, theres no reason to worry. The best thing to do would to continue with the gimmick, downplay the terrorist angle as much as possible or come up with some logical explanation as to why Hassan went along with it.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

It actually doesn't matter. Hassan could come out as a squeaky clean babyface and the networks would still want him off. RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT, there's a big backlash towards Mark Magnus and WWE concerning the Hassan gimmick. The damage has been done. The best thing to do is kill him off and take him off TV for a bit and repackage him.

 

But it dosen't make sense to ban a character based on one bad angle/incident. Why not ban Torrie Wilson for the abortion of the Al Wilson angle? Then ban Triple H and Kane because of Katie Vick. The premise of Hassans gimmick isn't that he's a terrorist. If you isolate that one incident, theres no reason to worry. The best thing to do would to continue with the gimmick, downplay the terrorist angle as much as possible or come up with some logical explanation as to why Hassan went along with it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

*Sighs* The difference is in the reactions to it. The Al Wilson thing garnered ZERO attention. Ditto with the Katie Vick angle. There also wasn't an outbreak of necrophilia that would be "too close to home". There is terrorism going on right now. Hassan played to that aspect two weeks ago. They are now seeing the consequences for it. Now explain to me, just how do they backtrack with no TV? They tried to do that on their site, claiming Hassan isn't a terrorist. No one is buying it. Like I said, damage has been done. They need to cut their losses and move on.

[Angle-plex 0]

Who cares if this thing was ok or not; The whole thing fucking sucked anyways. Hassan's character was supposed to be "wrongly" judged because he was an arab-american, and then he goes and commits a "terrorist" attack on Undertaker complete with religious sacraficing and throat slashing (If he beheaded Undertaker, would a headless zombie Taker still wrestle at the Bash....). At least I can still enjoy my weekly dose of wrestling racism with Kerwin White, JBL, and the Mexicools.

[cbacon 0]

*Sighs* The difference is in the reactions to it. The Al Wilson thing garnered ZERO attention. Ditto with the Katie Vick angle. There also wasn't an outbreak of necrophilia that would be "too close to home". There is terrorism going on right now. Hassan played to that aspect two weeks ago. They are now seeing the consequences for it.

 

I'm sure many people found those angles offensive. Being offended by something is subjective. Surely the necrophilia 'hit home' with a few fans watching. If we go by those standards, wrestling should be off the air all together. The Hassan thing carried media attention, sure, but i'm sure the media won't care several months from now, especially if they don't go overboard again. Like I said, it's an isolated incident that shouldn't dictate Hassans gimmick. That, and theres the fact the viewers have a thing called a remote control, and if they really are offeneded by it, all it takes is a click.

 

Now explain to me, just how do they backtrack with no TV? They tried to do that on their site, claiming Hassan isn't a terrorist. No one is buying it. Like I said, damage has been done. They need to cut their losses and move on

 

No matter what the explanation would be, it would be half-assed, no doubt. But thats nothing new that we shouldn't expect from wrestling. Almost all angles carry illogical explanations for characters behaviour.

[Downhome 0]

EDIT

 

I hate that they are dropping the character...

 

I'm going to miss that music!

[Boon 0]

OMG!! Rey on Smackdown had a black mask!! Terrorist!!

[Guest Trecko]

I don't think I've ever been thoroughly disgusted by something in wrestling as much as I am by this. I shouldn't even be bothered by this, but I can't help it. I can't believe they're so willing to scrap this angle, AND possibly even Hassan because of this bullshit network pressure. This is something they could've easily used to their advantage...ugh...

 

*puts Hassan's theme on repeat for the rest of the night*

[The Czech Republic 0]

I had this stupid idea..

 

Taker Tombstones Hassan at GAB and wins.

 

A couple weeks later, a clip is played of Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin..

 

Another few weeks later, Mark Magnus, Heidenreich and Funaki come out together and announce the formation of the New Axis Powers (NAP).

 

It can all lead up to WWE dragging out the World War 3 PPV name from WCW...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

1. STALIN WASN'T ON THEIR SIDE

 

2. That really is a horrible idea.

[Carnival 0]

Kill off his character? God... Not even move him to Raw, not tone him down, just kill him off?

 

This shit is just one overreaction after another.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

perfect

 

Hassan is one my new favorites, and this whole drop his character shit just proves his character right, americans are some sensitve bitches. I agree they should just tone him down. Move him to RAW and have him complain mostly about getting banned from UPN.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

I don't think I've ever been thoroughly disgusted by something in wrestling as much as I am by this. I shouldn't even be bothered by this, but I can't help it. I can't believe they're so willing to scrap this angle, AND possibly even Hassan because of this bullshit network pressure. This is something they could've easily used to their advantage...ugh...

 

*puts Hassan's theme on repeat for the rest of the night*

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's freakin' Hassan! This isn't Austin or Hogan at their peak drawing days.

[Guest wildpegasus]

I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it. Someone stands up to the WWE's stupidness and actually does something about it. If only I could see the reactions of the WWE brass over this.

[Guest Trecko]

I don't think I've ever been thoroughly disgusted by something in wrestling as much as I am by this. I shouldn't even be bothered by this, but I can't help it. I can't believe they're so willing to scrap this angle, AND possibly even Hassan because of this bullshit network pressure. This is something they could've easily used to their advantage...ugh...

 

*puts Hassan's theme on repeat for the rest of the night*

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's freakin' Hassan! This isn't Austin or Hogan at their peak drawing days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Uh...I liked Hassan? He was one of the few bright spots in WWE television for me?

[bobobrazil1984 0]

just so we're clear, killing him off means squashing him and getting his ass kicked by Undertaker and not actually having his character die... right?

 

right???

 

hmmm or not. Knowing WWE and their endless parade of "let's outSHIT ourselves by making this crappy shit angle worse than our last crappy shit angle" storylines, maybe it's meant literally.

[Gary Floyd 0]

(If he beheaded Undertaker, would a headless zombie Taker still wrestle at the Bash....).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, it worked in "Re-Animator"

 

Great, now I have an image of a headless Undertaker using his severed head to eat out his wife.

[Guest Fook]

"Hey! If we have the Hassan character killed by the all-American Undertaker (he IS patriotic, remember Survivor Series 93 and Summerslam 02?), it'll justify everything we did cause we can show that terrorist acts won't pay."

"Ooh, good idea Vince!"

[justcoz 0]

Keep Davari on Smackdown for the cruiserweight division, if it still exists.

 

Keep Hassan off of television for a few weeks after the Great American Bash. Perhaps have him shake Taker's hand after the match or something out of the ordinary leading into his disappearance.

 

A month of so later, have Sgt. Slaughter make an appearance on Raw when he is attacked by Renee Dupree. Dupree can be cutting down on America as he's beating on Slaughter, Hassan's music hits and he comes to the ring. Dupree stops beating on Slaughter and invites Hassan to join in. Hassan instead jumps Dupree.

 

The following week, Slaughter goes to the ring and cuts a promo saying that he'd like to introduce everyone to an American. An American who had to face a lot of adversity and racism following September 11th. Hassan comes to the ring and states that when he first addressed WWE audiences, all that he wanted was to let the injustices that arab americans face on a day to day basis be known. His words became more and more venemous towards the USA with the crowd's boos.

 

When he moved to Smackdown, he was to face the Undertaker and did not want to be out psyched by Taker's presence so he orchestrated a very ill advised attack that made national headlines and had him banned from UPN. When he first read the words, "terrorist wrestler", he was angry but he then realized that the press, the network and everyone was right. He was a terrorist because terrorist are people who act out of desperation and most of all they are cowards.

 

The reason that he is a professional wrestler is because he grew up in the land of opportunity. He was free to do what he wanted with his life. His arab heritage will always be important to him and people need to educate themselves that anyone can be a victim of terrorism. Even arab americans as there were plenty that never lived to see the next day due to acts of terrorism. He grew up watching Sgt Slaughter, Hulk Hogan and the American Dream Dusty Rhodes and those were his heroes. Those were the men who made him proud to be an American and want to be a professional wrestler. He then pleads for the forgiveness of American wrestling crowds.

 

In the following weeks, they can do Confidential style profile pieces on his Magnus' legit background.

 

The end...

[cabbageboy 0]

Eh, I'm trying to think of a reason to care about a guy coming clean about doing an offensive terrorist Arab gimmick. That's the problem with doing these sorts of gimmicks, it limits what you can do in the future that people will accept.

[Secret Agent 0]

I feel bad for Magnus. How much money is he losing now that he won't be headlining SS against Batista?

[Guest Trecko]

Keep Davari on Smackdown for the cruiserweight division, if it still exists.

 

Keep Hassan off of television for a few weeks after the Great American Bash.  Perhaps have him shake Taker's hand after the match or something out of the ordinary leading into his disappearance.

 

A month of so later, have Sgt. Slaughter make an appearance on Raw when he is attacked by Renee Dupree.  Dupree can be cutting down on America as he's beating on Slaughter, Hassan's music hits and he comes to the ring.  Dupree stops beating on Slaughter and invites Hassan to join in.  Hassan instead jumps Dupree.

 

The following week, Slaughter goes to the ring and cuts a promo saying that he'd like to introduce everyone to an American.  An American who had to face a lot of adversity and racism following September 11th.  Hassan comes to the ring and states that when he first addressed WWE audiences, all that he wanted was to let the injustices that arab americans face on a day to day basis be known.  His words became more and more venemous towards the USA with the crowd's boos.

 

When he moved to Smackdown, he was to face the Undertaker and did not want to be out psyched by Taker's presence so he orchestrated a very ill advised attack that made national headlines and had him banned from UPN.  When he first read the words, "terrorist wrestler", he was angry but he then realized that the press, the network and everyone was right.  He was a terrorist because terrorist are people who act out of desperation and most of all they are cowards.

 

The reason that he is a professional wrestler is because he grew up in the land of opportunity.  He was free to do what he wanted with his life.  His arab heritage will always be important to him and people need to educate themselves that anyone can be a victim of terrorism.  Even arab americans as there were plenty that never lived to see the next day due to acts of terrorism.  He grew up watching Sgt Slaughter, Hulk Hogan and the American Dream Dusty Rhodes and those were his heroes.  Those were the men who made him proud to be an American and want to be a professional wrestler.  He then pleads for the forgiveness of American wrestling crowds.

 

In the following weeks, they can do Confidential style profile pieces on his Magnus' legit background.

 

The end...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'd love it, for just about that one moment, just to see Hassan back. Where does he go from there, though? Happy go lucky American? Man who went from "bitching about injustice" to bitching for forgiveness? He's pretty much fucked, even if they try to bring him back like that. The crowd won't buy it. Unless they eventually turn him again but tone him down, there's not much longevity in that move.

[BorneAgain 0]

With Hassan gone I wouldn't be surprised to see one of these matches at Summerslam:

 

Batista vs. Orton vs. Taker.

or

Batista vs. Taker with Orton as guest ref and they play up how he hates both guys.

 

Chance they might throw JBL in there for the former.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

I had this stupid idea..

 

Taker Tombstones Hassan at GAB and wins.

 

A couple weeks later, a clip is played of Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin..

 

Another few weeks later, Mark Magnus, Heidenreich and Funaki come out together and announce the formation of the New Axis Powers (NAP).

 

It can all lead up to WWE dragging out the World War 3 PPV name from WCW...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

1. STALIN WASN'T ON THEIR SIDE

 

2. That really is a horrible idea.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'm pretty sure he meant Hirohito or Tojo. Who else was Funaki supposed to be.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I applaud this and encourage a Benjamin move to Smackdown.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I honestly didn't find the whole thing offensive, but if UPN got into some trouble about it, this is pretty much all they can do. It is not like they have mucked around with booking before, so I won't complain about the network here. The big loser is Hassan who has essentially lost his job, and for a young man like him who doesn't have a career of earnings to fall back on, it could be a big deal. The fact that it wasn't his fault is the worst thing about this. They seem to be keeping Davairi, but I can't see how he escapes this. Like previously mentioned, neither guy will be able to escape this gimmick now that the issue has become this big.

 

About draws, too many of you seem to be of the opinion that someone is either a draw or he's not, and that if a wrestler isn't at Austin's or Rock's level than he isn't a draw. But it varies more than that. Somewhat like Chris Benoit is a decent draw, even if he doesn't get near the numbers that Austin did. Ratings tend to go up when he is heavily involved in the show, and he certainly doesn't drive away the audience. Average draws basically have no effect on business one way or another, and poor draws hurt business. It works on a scale with guys like Hulk Hogan at the top who in his prime could make a card by simply being on it, and the company tankers like Justin Credible and Kevin Nash at the bottom.

[Slickster 0]

I'd have Hassan WIN at the GAB, then come out this Tuesday as Mark Magnus, who hates this country even MORE because he fooled all the fans for 7 months pretending to be Arab-American. Basically, spin the last 7 months of Hassan's character as a 'Black Like Me'-inspired experiment to see what it would be like to be an Arab-American in the WWE. His findings? That WWE fans all across the globe are racist and prejudiced against Arab-Americans.

 

Then, have Magnus rant about how now WWE and UPN are forbidding him to work with Daivari, how he can't have his old music, how he's being held down EVEN MORE now that he's revealed the truth. Now, the only way he can set things right in the WWE is to take Batista's title at SSlam.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

From WWE.com

 

WWE Statement Concerning Muhammad Hassan

 

Due to the unfortunate terrorist attacks in London on Thursday, July 7, which coincided with our pre-produced WWE SmackDown! program, UPN has asked us to be sensitive to the usage of the Arab-American character, Muhammad Hassan. We have agreed with UPN, and have not had the character on SmackDown! since that date. It is uncertain as to whether or not the WWE will continue with this character beyond this Sunday’s Pay-Per-View, The Great American Bash.

[Guest nokia]

Dave Meltzer is reporting that WWE will be dropping the Hassan character, and he will not be moving back to RAW

 

-- No word on Daivari, who at current state of play, WWE wish to keep.

[Guest]

Glenn, that's about the 6th or 7th time I've read that.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

If they ever get a chance to use Hassan again, I'd say have him come out and declare himself to be Italian which he truly is. Of course, the crowd will probably shit all over that... so next week he comes out declaring he's Canadian and how everyone is prejudice against him... then the next week he comes out as another sterotyped foriegn person, say Russian, German, Finnish, take your pick. Just do this week after week for the entertainment value. Hell, one day have him come out in a giant parka and say "I first want to say hello to all my penguin peeps in Anartica! Much love for my homeland!" It could be entertaining...

 

 

 

Wow, that was a pretty dumb idea... oh well, I'm tired and I really don't care. But as someone said earlier, the true victim here is Mark Magnus, the person. All this work for the shit to hit the fan and hit it HARD.

[tekcop 0]

If they ever get a chance to use Hassan again, I'd say have him come out and declare himself to be Italian which he truly is.  Of course, the crowd will probably shit all over that... so next week he comes out declaring he's Canadian and how everyone is prejudice against him... then the next week he comes out as another sterotyped foriegn person, say Russian, German, Finnish, take your pick.  Just do this week after week for the entertainment value.  Hell, one day have him come out in a giant parka and say "I first want to say hello to all my penguin peeps in Anartica!  Much love for my homeland!"  It could be entertaining...

 

 

 

Wow, that was a pretty dumb idea... oh well, I'm tired and I really don't care.  But as someone said earlier, the true victim here is Mark Magnus, the person.  All this work for the shit to hit the fan and hit it HARD.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Awesome.

 

I kind of feel sorry for Magnus though. I mean, I'll have forgotten about him within two weeks if he's released but I don't want to see him fired. The man was just doing his job.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

Yea, I was never a fan of the Hassan character of Hassan's ring work BUT I do feel really bad for Magnus. I fear the WWE will just release him and make him a scapegoat when NOTHING is his fault. If anyone should be getting fired over this garbage it's the creative team for even THINKING that it was a good idea to have a bunch of hooded guys attack the Undertaker and choke him out with piano wire. I fear that Magnus's entire career in wrestling may be done as this gimmick will follow him wherever he goes and no one may want to touch him with a ten foot pole. Terrible ending for a guy who was young, had potential on the mic, and with some more in-ring training could've developed into something special.