Wrestling's Scummiest Moment Ever?

[Liam O'Rourke]

So for this week's podcast, based off a suggestion from WWFChilli, we're going to look at some of the scummiest things wrestling promoters have ever done in a misguided effort to draw money, get somebody over, or attract attention, and as always we'd like your suggestions for this lofty title.

 

So the question is simply - what lowlife act or tasteless decision, on screen or off, do you find to be the most scummy and appalling, and why? As always the best contributions will be read on the show and you'll be credited accordingly, and given we're talking any promotion ever, you're probably spoilt for choice. So what's your personal pick?

 

EDIT - Part 1 of our series discussing Wrestling's Scummiest Moments and taking your suggestions is now online and available to listen to at the following link: http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/play/vhqi8e/SCGRadio67-ScummiestMomentsPart1.mp3

 

EDIT - Part 2 of our series discussing Wrestling Scummiest Moments and taking your suggestions is now online and available to listen to at the following link: http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/play/yge5if/SCGRadio69-ScummiestMomentsPart2.mp3
 

[PSF]

The Torrie Wilson/Dawn Marie/Al Wilson angle comes straight to mind. Not only did we get a middle aged man continuously getting naked with a much younger woman including at their wedding ceremony, they killed him off whilst in the middle of a taped wedding night. He literally got shagged to death on TV, which is fine for Home and Away or Doctors or whatever is on in the afternoon these days, but for a wrestling show? No thank you. 

 

It was all very uncomfortable viewing, especially as me and my mate were watching whilst at Centre Parks along with his mum and stepdad. I would have much rather have been caught reading American Grizzly with my pinkle in my hand.

 

the payoff if I remember rightly was a match between Torrie and Dawn Marie at the Rumble in a completely awful match that Dawn Marie completely dominated before Torrie hit a neck-breaker for the pin. yeah thats comeuppance for you, get your head kicked in, but at least you did one move!

 

Did Torrie and Dawn Marie also have a bit of a Lez-off after this too or am I getting that confused with Sable?

[Ambulance Chaser]

The 2 things that came straight into my head were "Eddie is in HELLLLL" and WCW mocking JR's Bell's Palsy.

 

Scummy as fuck. Achieved nothing.

[Vamp]

Dawn basically blackmailed Torrie into a sex session didn't she? Promise Torrie that she'd leave her father or something.

[tiger_rick]

It's not the worst ever but it's fresh in my mind because I watched it last year and then again yesterday. Everything involving Rey Mysterio between Eddie Guerrero dying and WrestleMania (22?) It's truly horrible. At best, it's the most misguided attempt at a tribute ever and at worst it's a cold, calculating attempt to make money off a real life tragedy. The Royal Rumble is vomit inducing and how the fuck Rey Mysterio was able to justify to himself performing that skit where he looks up to "heaven" and acuses Eddie of playing tricks on him I'll never know. Then he performs Eddie's entrance. I want to poke my eyes out by that point. It gets worse though on the road to WM when they've discovered that this angle is horrible and cold so they heat it up with Randy Orton cutting that atrocious promo proclaiming Eddie's in hell. It's not even a case after that of wanting to see the heel get his commupence. it's crossing a horrible line that takes you right out of the moment and reminds you that this is fake, scummy shit and they'd make a buck from prostituting their dead Nan if they could.

 

That Rey is the one to dedicate all this guff to Eddie is even more laughable given Eddie's actual nephew is on the roster. That just hammers home how much it's a money decision.

 

There'll be mentions of Brody and Benoit and Snuka that are worse but this is horrible.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

I find it hilarious that Mick Foley gets on his moral high horse these days, yet he spent half of his second book defending the WWF for some of the most exploitive TV imaginable in the late 90s. Even comparing WWF Raw to Home Alone. I suppose its easier to stomach if they are paying you.

 

As far scummy things, Trish barking like a dog is such a vomit inducing ego trip I havent watched it since I saw it on some DVD they put out. What the fuck were they thinking with that one?

 

This thread could probably run for the rest of time, since wrestling can get as scummy as you want it to get usually.

[Mr.Showtime]

It's not the worst ever but it's fresh in my mind because I watched it last year and then again yesterday. Everything involving Rey Mysterio between Eddie Guerrero dying and WrestleMania (22?) It's truly horrible. At best, it's the most misguided attempt at a tribute ever and at worst it's a cold, calculating attempt to make money off a real life tragedy. The Royal Rumble is vomit inducing and how the fuck Rey Mysterio was able to justify to himself performing that skit where he looks up to "heaven" and acuses Eddie of playing tricks on him I'll never know. Then he performs Eddie's entrance. I want to poke my eyes out by that point. It gets worse though on the road to WM when they've discovered that this angle is horrible and cold so they heat it up with Randy Orton cutting that atrocious promo proclaiming Eddie's in hell. It's not even a case after that of wanting to see the heel get his commupence. it's crossing a horrible line that takes you right out of the moment and reminds you that this is fake, scummy shit and they'd make a buck from prostituting their dead Nan if they could.

 

That Rey is the one to dedicate all this guff to Eddie is even more laughable given Eddie's actual nephew is on the roster. That just hammers home how much it's a money decision.

The incident that winds me up the most about all that is Eddie's car getting basically blown up, insinuating that the Undertaker (who was on it at the time) has been vanquished. This happened, I think, about 11 days after Eddie died.

[ElCece]

The Fritz Von Erich heart attack angle was the worst for me. Using peoples concern for his health to make a bit more cash is scummy but the cat that his delibrately played off his previous familys tragedys is fucking disgusting. This happened after David's overdose in Japan and Mike's septic shock then suicide which just made the explotation of tragedy even harder to stomach

[mim731]

Melanie Pillman being interviewed by Vince the night after her husband legitimately died, live on television was pretty scummy. It felt like a total ratings ploy and massively exploitative. The interview is actually quite distressing, and Melanie seems understandably distraught. The whole thing feels grubby and ugly, not to mention desperate. 

[alex1]

Scott Hall playing out his alcohol fuelled demons on-camera in 98- a Bischoff call, no doubt as part of his fixation for 'working the boys'. Also in poor taste was Paul Heyman having Tammy Sytch air her personal problems (which she was clearly far from overcoming at the time) in a sit-down interview in 1999, a blatant attempt to get as many eyeballs on their new cable show on TNN.

[Undefeated Steak]

Rey/Eddie was the first I thought of but another that sprung immediately to mind was Michael Cole taking the piss out of Jerry Lawler's recently deceased mother, moreso because of how little it was ever going to achieve. Certainly one of those moments where you question what the fuck you're watching.

 

I'm fairly sure there was something that crossed the line during the CM Punk vs Undertaker feud involving the urn but can't remember the incident in question.

 

Of all the shit that went down in ECW, New Jack cutting that young lad up always stood out as being a shite move.

 

This is gonna be the thread that keeps giving. 

[theringmaster]

I always got the impression with the Torrie/Dawn angle that Torries Dad was having the time of his life, from what i gather he is something of a working actor who has very few 'big' roles and appriciated the spotlight

I always got the impression with the Torrie/Dawn angle that Torries Dad was having the time of his life, from what i gather he is something of a working actor who has very few 'big' roles and appriciated the spotlight

[The Clint]

Al was Torrie's real father too. I never knew this until after the storyline. I always thought he was some hired in guy.

 

That stuff with Boss Man and Big Show was awful too with those funeral scenes and Boss Man cutting promos trying to make fun of someone that had died of cancer. Just another one of the many tasteless storylines.

[Sergio Mendacious]

Puppet the Midget Killer wanking off in a bin was weird, and hardly guaranteed to draw any money.

[Jon-Carr_92]

CM Punk mocking Jerry Lawler's near fatal heart attack on Raw was very uncomfortable to watch. WWE were highly praised for their handling of the situation. Michael Cole going as far as to switch the mics off after he fell out of his chair so the audience at home couldn't hear him groaning in agony and alerting backstage whilst he was at it is a big example and he got huge cheers on the SmackDown taping the following night for it especially since he typically gets booed when he comes out. I will never forget seeing this one photo from a fan of Cole at the announce table sobbing his eyes out. That was one of the saddest things I've ever seen. But stuff like Punk saying "You're lucky you had a heart attack because I would've beaten you to death!" And Paul Heyman collapsing with Punk imitating CPR until Paul popped up laughing pissed it all away. Completely unnecessary.