The AEW Wednesday Night Dynamite Thread

[Merzbow]

The lack of any kind of concrete information after that initial video, and even Kenny was all "we've got fuck all to tell you" on the latest Games video and announcing that he won't be hosting it any longer.

It was already an odd development with a team that clearly hasn't done anything major in a long long time. Maybe they just announced it too early like a lot do today. You either do it early and keep people up on the dev cycle or you wait till is near completion like Nintendo almost always does so well.

Edited April 20, 2021 by Merzbow

[Hannibal Scorch]

2 hours ago, Merzbow said:

The lack of any kind of concrete information after that initial video, and even Kenny was all "we've got fuck all to tell you" on the latest Games video and announcing that he won't be hosting it any longer.

It was already an odd development with a team that clearly hasn't done anything major in a long long time. Maybe they just announced it too early like a lot do today. You either do it early and keep people up on the dev cycle or you wait till is near completion like Nintendo almost always does so well.

I was expecting a 2 year wait after the first announcement. Video games always have a long development time with big studios. So I am not surprised of a lack of updates as its not even been a year yet. But I saw what Kenny said as more playing into the heel role of his character now then anything.

[Nick James]

This is brilliant and a great watch, I had no idea that Bowens was openly gay and I think that says a lot about how the world is changing as a whole.

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by Nick James

[Hannibal Scorch]

2 minutes ago, Nick James said:

This is brilliant and a great watch, I had no idea that Bowens was openly gay and I think that says a lot about how the world is changing as a whole.

 

I saw this on Elevation last night and agree it was a great interview. What I love most about Bowens is it’s not been part of his character like we’ve seen with people like Orlando Jones where he was playing a weirdo because he wasn’t heterosexual. I see a big future for The Acclaimed 

[Merzbow]

1 minute ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

I saw this on Elevation last night and agree it was a great interview. What I love most about Bowens is it’s not been part of his character like we’ve seen with people like Orlando Jones where he was playing a weirdo because he wasn’t heterosexual. I see a big future for The Acclaimed 

Wasn't that all Orlando's idea? I think it's a bit different when he's playing off his own sexuality rather than having some writer on the outside saying "you're bisexual? you're gonna be a creep".

[Kamran]

Preview for Dynamite this week:

 

[Hannibal Scorch]

19 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

Wasn't that all Orlando's idea? I think it's a bit different when he's playing off his own sexuality rather than having some writer on the outside saying "you're bisexual? you're gonna be a creep".

Maybe. But all it did was make fans boo him

[Merzbow]

Just now, Hannibal Scorch said:

Maybe. But all it did was make fans boo him

I mean that was the point, wasn't it? But yeah I can see how there's still an argument to be made about it being a negative representation but I think it's a little different when it's actually in the hands of a bi man.

[RedRooster]

45 minutes ago, Kamran said:

Preview for Dynamite this week:

 

This is great, but I really wish they’d use more of this content on Dynamite. Imagine watching the Shida/Conti preview package either immediately before the match, as hype earlier in the show or the week prior? You’d be absolutely buzzing for the match itself, it’s tremendous content. 

The Bowens stuff was great too, again, it would be great on Dynamite in front of a wider audience. AEW has a terrible habit of wasting some of its best content on a tiny audience.

Edited April 20, 2021 by RedRooster

[Hannibal Scorch]

34 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

I mean that was the point, wasn't it? But yeah I can see how there's still an argument to be made about it being a negative representation but I think it's a little different when it's actually in the hands of a bi man.

Yeah I’m not saying there’s no merit it what you’re saying. I guess the point I’m making is that Bowen being gay, but it not being played as part of his character is better for both being inclusionary and inspirational to an LGBTQ+ audience then someone creating a character to generate heat based on their sexuality. 10 years ago Bowens would have either had to have hidden his sexuality or it would have been used as an ott character, which shows evolution.

I mean, look how the Sonia Deville story went down and that was only 2019!

[Michael_3165]

Finally a openly gay wrestler that isn't portrayed as effeminate prancer. As a gay man I find the way wrestling has historically presented gay character as disgusting and whilst I appreciate the likes of Sonny Kiss being who they are I also find that it just feeds straight into that stereotype that gay men are queens which is bullshit. 

I have a somewhat turbulent relationship with the gay community at times and feel that we often don't do ourselves any favours, Orlando Jordan being a really good example. I want characters that are real, genuine male athletes that just so happen to be gay or bisexual rather than the character being gay in nature. 

I am not one to buy into bullshit theories that we should all use our race, gender, sexuality, religion etc as they key features of our being. I am a person who happens to be gay but being gay doesn't define me. That's what I look for in wrestling in 2021. 

That said, when I was training at a wrestling school the idea of coming out was a HUGE taboo for me. The overtones of "ah thats gay" was a common theme and whilst I have no doubt that they would have been fine with it, it doesn't make it any less daunting. Funnily someone came out and were really well supported. 

[Michael_3165]

1 hour ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Yeah I’m not saying there’s no merit it what you’re saying. I guess the point I’m making is that Bowen being gay, but it not being played as part of his character is better for both being inclusionary and inspirational to an LGBTQ+ audience then someone creating a character to generate heat based on their sexuality. 10 years ago Bowens would have either had to have hidden his sexuality or it would have been used as an ott character, which shows evolution.

I mean, look how the Sonia Deville story went down and that was only 2019!

I watch some moments in wrestling over the years and certainly cringe. 

Jerry Lawler asking if Goldust was "queer" springs to mind as does a very uncomfortable show when Tracey Smothers (a face on that show) getting the audience (which had many young kids) to change "faggot" to the heels. 

It has certainly improved over the years though the idea that gay = bad/heel is something that still holds some weight especially in certain communities/areas of the world. 

[Supremo]

2 hours ago, RedRooster said:

This is great, but I really wish they’d use more of this content on Dynamite...AEW has a terrible habit of wasting some of its best content on a tiny audience.

I’m encouraged by the way they started last week’s show with a video package recapping the Young Bucks heel turn. Unless I’m mistaken that was the first time they started Dynamite with a video package. Previously, presumably spurred on by NXT starting on the other channel, they’d immediately rush into the first match.

I’m hoping it’s a sign of things to come and now that they don’t have direct competition we’ll see them calm down a bit and start using these incredible video packages more. In the space of minutes that clip has made me care more about Shida than ever before. Trying to remain Champion for when the full arenas return is a great storyline tidbit. They should run with that right up until their first show back.

EDIT: On the subject of full arenas, JR mentioned on his podcast that they’re looking to go back on the road in July. Of course, we’ll all have our own thoughts on whether that’s the right time or not. But either way, that first match back in front of thousands of fans needs to be Jungle Boy vs. Orange Cassidy with their music BLASTING out of those speakers. I’ll be crying worse than Rhea Ripley at Wrestlemania.

Edited April 20, 2021 by Supremo

[BomberPat]

12 hours ago, Michael_3165 said:

Jerry Lawler asking if Goldust was "queer" springs to mind

 

The most staggering part of that was that it was part of distancing themselves from the idea of Goldust as a gay character!

Way before "Speaking Out", I remember a lot of chatter for a couple of days on Twitter about prejudice in British wrestling, and Will Ospreay (who else?) claimed that BritWres was "the most welcoming place in the world" and that it wasn't racist or homophobic at all. His justification? "Have you ever heard of Adrian Street?" - a straight man pretending to be gay to make people hate him. 

There are some great strides being made in terms of representation in wrestling - The Cassandro Cup is a great idea on an independent level, and we're seeing more openly gay wrestlers on TV. I have no problem with Sonny Kiss, because that's who he is, it's not a case of Kanyon being dressed up as Boy George to get battered because he had the audacity to be gay, Sonny is camp and flamboyant and over-the-top, and I think it's fantastic that he's allowed to be himself in wrestling, and that it's presented as a babyface role rather than a heel one, and as part of a tag team where Sonny's sexuality and character don't even come into it - it's actually one of the rarest things across all media to see genuine friendship, with no underlying issues, between straight and gay men represented. Honestly, with the success of Drag Race, I'm surprised they haven't made more of Sonny Kiss as a flamboyant queen. But for that to go hand-in-hand with having gay men on the roster who aren't camp or flamboyant is even more important.

 

[Guest]

I am really enjoying these sit downs they are having Paul Wight run on Elevation. He seems to come into them really prepared and respectful of who he is chatting to, and his talking people up is much more reinforcing than I expected them to be. Even on commentary he’s throwing in things about the  wrestlers losing that they don’t really need or deserve, but now knowing that the guy who wears the amateur headgear does so as he needs a hearing aid, just gives you a little reason to care.