I've always believed that pro-wrestling, as an industry was capable of accomplishing great things. Sometimes, in the acts of kindness shown to those facing life-threatening illnesses, or in support for wounded service-members, we live up to that promise. Sometimes, when the language gets too course, or we get a little too graphic, we fall a little short of that potential. Sometimes, it seems that for every step forward, we take a step or two back, to the point where real progress becomes tough to gauge. Recently, however, with TNA Wrestling's involvement with the "Eliminate the Hate Campaign" to end bullying, I believe the whole wrestling business has taken a huge leap forward, with the potential to act as an agent of change in a campaign that may have a positive effect on untold lives in the near future. The campaign has been inspired by the recent suicide deaths of several students; young men taunted, ridiculed and bullied into believing that no life at all was better than the one they were going through. The major reason for the tormenting? All of these bullied students were thought to be gay. Years from now, I hope these deaths will be seen as a watershed event; a time when citizens of different shapes, sizes, colors, religious origins and sexual orientations got together and realized that the hatred had to stop.
I was thrilled to hear about TNA's participation in "Eliminate the Hate", the origins of which, I believe sprung from the belief of Derek and Romaine of the Out Q Channel on Sirius XM Radio, that this battle might be better fought with the inclusion of some unlikely troops; pro-wrestlers, MMA fighters, and others who tend to reach a young (and therefore impressionable) male audience. As Derek told me during my last visit to their show, "Kathy Griffin talking about tolerance is great...but she's kind of preaching to the choir." Perhaps we as wrestlers can reach out to those not currently singing the song of acceptance and tolerance, and at the very least, get them to hum the tune, understand it and respect it, even if they never learn to enthusiastically belt it out.
I have received a tremendous reaction from most wrestling fans, expressing support and happiness for our participation, many of them victims of bullying themselves, glad that something was being done about the cruelty, often written off as a harmless right of passage, that has left untold psychological scars on the souls of so many. I've got a few myself - a subject I touched on in The Hardcore Diaries, and hope to talk about some more in the days to come. Many wrestlers interviewed for the campaign's Public Service Announcements shared stories of their own suffering at the hands of bullies; experiences which have given us a level of empathy for those in youths who always seem to be the hardest hit by hateful words and actions - those students who are gay, or thought to be so. I received a handful of comments from wrestling fans describing themselves as gay, just thankful that something was being done about the problem. However, there were pockets of genuine concern, wondering whether pro-wrestlers were appropriate endorsers of such a serious campaign, as just about every weekly wrestling show includes forms of athleticism that might be described as violent, and which occasionally seem to glamorize a mob mentality and bullying. Perhaps most seriously, concern was voiced about pro-wrestling's long history of playing off gay stereotypes for cheap pops and easy reactions.
It's not my intention to shoot down the valid concern of anyone, be they wrestling fan or not. But I believe one of these particular concerns is more particularly concerning than the others.
As far as the violence thing goes - well, we don't really have a show without it. I'm not sure we can have TNA stand for Total Non Agression and expect to have much of a fan base. Big guys getting along, making valid points, acting reasonably is not likely to get much of a buzz going, and in terms of eliminating the hate, would be self-defeating. I believe that most of the people who hear of our involvement believe it's essentially a non-issue - much as my involvement with RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) has been - and that it's often the unlikeliest allies that have the potential to make some of the biggest differences.
Yes, wrestling is full of bullies and bullying. It has for decades, and will continue to for decades to come. Just last week on Impact, Matt Morgan was bullied and beaten by Fortune, for daring to stick up for Ken Anderson, who had suffered a concussion, not, as I had originally suspected, for appearing with me on Family Feud. Now, hopefully, Matt will be able to regroup, and overcome the forces of evil, battling back the sheer numbers and evil of Ric Flair and his band of goons to win a symbolic victory for the little guy, even if Matt himself is a big guy. Pro-wrestling is full of bullies for the simple reason that everyone can relate to them. Everyone knows a bully, or someone who has been affected by them; even those who have not been victimized most likely spent time either praying they wouldn't be next, or giving thanks they'd been overlooked.
Unlike the real world, pro-wrestling more often than not gives the bullies their due, and the underdog gets his day, scoring those occasional symbolic victories for the little guys. I say "more often than not", because there are cases where the bullies get glamorized, where the bad guys become cool, where backstabbing, treachery and cheating seem more admirable than traits like courage, honor and intestinal fortitude. This was one of my fears during the WWE "attitude" era - and was one of the key factors in my character taking a kinder, gentler turn in the late nineties. But, for the most part, good really does conquer evil, intestinal fortitude is still a trait to be admired, and eventually bad guys even learn the error of their ways -.before reverting back to them when we need a rating.
As far as the gay stereotyping goes....well, I think we still have a long way to go. I think it would be hard to find a wrestler of my generation who didn't play off society's collective homophobia for that cheap pop, that easy laugh, that great crowd reaction. I know I did. Rewind back to 2000, where Olympic Gold-Medalist Kurt Angle has won his first WWE Championship just one evening earlier. Kurt is in the ring, microphone in hand, declaring his greatness, when I, as WWE Commissioner, interrupt the proceedings. I explain that I remember what it was like to win the same championship, and that one of my favorite memories of that special time, was basking in the congratulatory hugs of my fellow wrestlers. I tell Kurt that he didn't get that chance, and that I wanted to be that guy for him, that giver of hugs he needed so desperately. So I hugged Kurt in front of 18,000 fans live, and several million more watching on TV. I hugged him for a long time. A really long time. Past the point where guys hugging guys was acceptable, right on to the point where it became downright uncomfortable. Of course Kurt played it up as I knew he would, his enjoyment turning to panic, eyes bulging, yearning to be free, finally breaking away to waves of laughter from the crowd. Looking back, it was really funny in 2000. I still think it's funny today. But I wonder whether it should be funny, and most importantly, whether it will still seem funny twenty years from now. Hopefully, sometime around 2025 some yet to be born kids will look at their dad's ancient DVD of the Foley/Angle prolonged hug, and shrug their shoulders, just not getting what passed for humor back in the old days. With a little luck and a little understanding, homophobic humor will be to a future generation what the vaudevillian seltzer spritzer and the once iconic pie to the face is to mine; one of those odes to the way things used to be that just doesn't make the transition to the next generation.
It was brought to my attention that the "F" word, (the one that isn't followed by a "U") was used by one of TNA's top wrestlers in a past episode of Impact . The word choice was unfortunate an unacceptable and will likely never be used again, but I think the landscape in regard to derogatory euphemisms towards people of every kind - especially African-Americans has changed for the better. Indeed, I think the wrestling business has improved dramatically from days gone by when crowds enthusiastically chanted the "F" word, much to the faux dismay of the presumed guilty party in the ring. For a bad guy, dating back to the days of Gorgeous George, nothing was more effective at garnering heat in the ring than displaying traditionally feminine characteristics in the testosterone driven world of the ring. Times change and wrestling changes too, sometimes ahead of the curve, sometimes behind it. Wrestling was actually a harbinger of change in the deep south, where white wrestler Sputnik Monroe became a hero in Memphis by teaming with wrestlers of color and attending "colored only" establishments during the era of Jim Crowe - where wrestlers of color had previously faced each other for the "Negro Title" and fans of color sat only in the balcony.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the gay issue, I feel like pro-wrestling has been behind the curve, squandering chances to really make a difference in fostering a better atmosphere of acceptance and understanding toward the gay community. The wrestling world failed to take advantage of a unique opportunity with Billy Gunn and Chuck Palumbo, who went from being the subject of a positive New York Times article, "Billy and Chuck, Accidental Crusaders" to mid-card also-rans, simply because of the long standing (but never scientifically proven) notion that wrestling fans were just not ready to embrace gay characters, especially as fan-favorites. Perhaps those notion- followers had never seen Adrian Street, the flamboyantly androgynous Welshman who repeatedly drew enthusiastic cheers in the deep south (Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee) with antics that did not adhere to the cultural norms of the time or the place. I was an Adrian Street opponent many times, and have to feel that if his character played well at the Dothan Farm Center, it was going to play just fine in Peoria, or anywhere else in the United States.
TNA may just have an accidental crusader in its midst - and with it, a chance to put a positive foot forward on the road to progress, and a face to our "Eliminate the Hate" campaign. Orlando Jordan is handsome, chiseled, well-spoken, flamboyant, talented, and gay. For the past several months that flamboyance has been portrayed as a largely negative trait, with Jordan himself being looked at as creepy, surreal; someone to be feared, even avoided. In truth, I think that both TNA and Jordan have been guilty of trying too hard to be shocking, and some of the antics have been over the line; too overtly sexual for younger audience members, and lacking in the fun and subtlety that made Billy and Chuck's evolution so much fun to watch. But I applaud Orlando's willingness to take chances with his character, and will applaud even louder if TNA displays the courage and creativity needed to showcase an athlete like Jordan in a more positive light. Perhaps he can retain all of the flamboyance - the brilliant costumes and make-up - while simultaneously shedding some of the antics that seem solely designed to shock and offend. In doing so pro-wrestling as an industry may partially shed the cloak of cultural insensitivity that has kept it from seeing the bigger, more important picture for far too long.
I've been thinking about a particular Happy Days episode, one which I'm almost sure has been taken out of circulation in syndication, due to the controversial content, which showed that even kids growing up in the bucolic bliss of 1950's Wisconsin were not without cultural hang-ups like racism. In the episode, not a single kid showed up at a party at the Cunningham's house, solely because Sticks, the drummer in Richie's band was African-American. An irate Fonzie headed out the door, promising to have the house full in minutes - presumably by force - before being stopped by Mr C, (was any dad ever more reasonable than the late Tom Bosley?) who gently explained that even cool couldn't battle the power of racism. Heavy stuff. I'm willing to bet that if Richie and Sticks had a reunion party that the Cunningham house would be filled with former party no-shows, who with the benefit of time, learned the error of their ways.
I am so proud to be part of this "Eliminate the Hate" campaign, and I hope to be persistent in finding as many more unlikely allies in this war against pain. Maybe some of us can just agree to disagree on other challenges facing the gay community - marriage, military service - while agreeing that no child or adult should be picked on, ridiculed or bullied. I ask the gay community to forgive me and my wrestling brethren for our cultural insensitivities of the past and include us part of a movement that makes bullying and hate toward anyone, gay or straight, black or white, Muslim, Christian or Jew simply unacceptable. I think Mr C was right; there was no way anyone, even one as cool as the Fonz, was going to stomp out the flames of cultural prejudice and insensitivity all by himself. Just as there is no way we can expect the gay community to mourn the losses of those they've lost or fight this war that needs to be waged all by themselves. They need our help. And it is my hope that all of us, the likely and the not so likely, can stand together side by side - and gradually, collectively, deprive those flames the elements of ignorance, intolerance and hate that bullying needs to survive. Let's put this thing out, so that no parent will need to know what it's like to lose a child to hate. Let's eliminate the hate.
Here is my upcoming schedule, representing the last of the Countdown book tour. Thanks to everyone who has joined us on the tour or read the book. This hasn't been the commercial success that a few of my others have been, but fans are really enjoying the book, it's gotten some great reviews, and the writing and promotion of this book have taken me on an amazing journey, which has allowed me to take part in some really positive developments.
November 10 - The Daily Show. 11pm Comedy Central. Yes, this is huge! I love the daily Show, and unless I completely blow it, this interview with Jon Stewart should be a blast.
November 11- London, England. Booksigning at Waterstone's Piccadilly, 5pm. See for yourself what a man looks like when he jumps on a plane right after the Daily Show, lands without sleeping and does several hours of publicity before going to the bookstore.
November 12- Manchester, England. Booksigning at Waterstone's Trafford Center. 4:30 pm
Many fans have asked about the possibility of posing for photos and signing items other than the book. I will do my very best to pose for photos, and will sign one additional item, for each copy of Lockdown purchased. Photos will depend on the size of the crowd, but I will do my very best.
For additional information, go to: http://www.orionbooks.co.uk/events
The Convention in Ireland has been postponed, due in part to many of the wrestlers being needed back in the US for Monday TV tapings, both Impact and Raw. I was all set to appear on both Saturday and Sunday, though I would have only been there for four hours on Sunday. As a result, I am paying my own way to the UK and back for the booksignings, which are not paid appearances. Just thought you should know. But I always do my very best to make every event I'm booked on.
November 12 - Sirius Radio, Channel 10, E. Street Radio. Yes, my turn as guest DJ will air at 8pm Friday, then midnight and 8am the following day. I think I comprised a cool, eclectic list, and think Bruce fans will enjoy the themes I cover during my shift. Obviously, this taped show will not be a conflict with the UK signings.
November 15+16 - Orlando, Florida. Impact. I'm not sure whether I will be there, but anyone who has been to the Impact Zone knows what a good time is had by all.
November 18 - Washington, DC - RAINN fundraiser/celebration. Actress KaDee Strickland (she has just done an amazing job as the survivor of rape on ABC's "Private Practice") will be the guest of honor and I think I'm going to say an few words too. Tickets start at only $50 - go to www.rainn.org for more information...or to volunteer, donate or find help.
That's all for now. Let's all be reasonable to each other.
