Surely not - Did Eddie fake his death

[Eelementary]

I agree, but don't you think those things 'push' the limits for young children? Imagine the moral and ethical stand point their parents would take should this Guerrero thing be a work. They'd lose a large part of their viewership, and a large part of their marketing pie.

It'd be a very dumb business decision. Especially considering Eddy Guerrero needed no false gimmick to get over, he was over like a motherf*ck.

I completely agree - IF it was a work, it would be (perhaps) the greatest work in history in terms of surprise and shock.

But by the same token, it would set back the standards quite badly.

 

[Eelementary]

I fail to see how faking a death is on a same par as the examples you suggest of rape, wife beating, and murder.

I would think that visualising a man trying yo have sex with a mannequin would be more shocking than thinking someone is dead when they're not...

Either way, my point wasn't comparing them - I was just saying that the WWE has come up with some awfully traumatising storylines in recent years, so I wouldn't put it past them...

I mean it's true - a large part of the wrestling demographic are young people. But it is the older people who generate most of the sales through merchandise, tickets and games and the like - tenny boppers just don't have the money (usually).

 

[Misanthrope]

I've just been re-watching Guerrero tribute videos and interviews, and if I ever doubted he was dead - they confirmed it. Benoit crying still makes me cry.

On a slightly different note, I wasn't a wrestling fan during 1999 (was in 1998 and in 2000, but had a year off) so I missed Owen's death and consequent tribute. Man, I cried my eyes out watching that.

 

[Iafeta]

I fail to see how faking a death is on a same par as the examples you suggest of rape, wife beating, and murder.

You're right, its worse. Its morally dispicable the mere thought of it.

How many of us, when we first watched wrestling in the 80s and didn't have access to the net believed what we saw as being fair dinkum? How many of us cheered on Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant?

There are kids at the same stage as we were now, you come out and say it was all a "work", you completely mess with their minds, and like us viewing Hogan as a hero you'd have messed with that image too.

Furthermore, what pressure would it put on his family if he agreed to doing it? What, schoolkids are just going to accept the old man came back from the dead?

Think laterally - ala while we know its not real, there are those young kids who still do believe.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

The Katie Vick angle?

Where Triple H alleged that Kane accidentally crashed his car and killed Katie Vick but still had sex with her?

Then Triple H, dressed with Kane's mask, starts to 'have sex' with a Katie Vick mannequin?

Doesn't ring a bell? lol

No it doesnt. When did it happen? It may have been during the few years when i took a break from watching wrestling.

 

[Misanthrope]

See, I don't think like a child, so I really don't care how they feel. Pro wrestling programming is rated PG13+ in Australia, which means kids young enough to actually believe it are only watching at their parents discretion. I love my pro wrestling, but you're kidding yourself if you think the current content is suitable for younger eyes. Ass-kissing, stripping, swearing, racially based characters...

Sure, characters such as The Boogeyman and the minis are clearly directed at children, but a Hell in a Cell match certainly isn't.

To me the WWE is just another soap opera. A violent, less witty version of the OC. A Neighbours with better production values.

I do understand that the whole 'faked death' thing would be disturbing for a child, but given most children don't have access to the internet to know it's 'legit' - how is Eddie's on screen 'death' any different to when the Undertaker was locked in a casket and set on fire and then came back to life on Survivor Series?

Or when Stone Cold was thrown off a bridge by The Rock?

You're arguing that children will be disturbed because they don't have access to the internet to know the details and know that it's not a real business, but you leave out that many similar angles have played out on TV. The only difference is, this one is real, but your average kid watching wrestling and believing it's real wouldn't know this for gospel. We know because we know the industry is worked and we know that Eddie legitimately died. If a kid believes wrestling is real, then they believe that Randy Orton killed The Undertaker and that Triple H dressed as Kane to **** a dead girl.

 

[Ben]

The Katie Vick angle occured in October 2002 and it involved HHH attacking Kane's partner The Hurricane, and saying that he had a secret about Kane's past. He asked if the name Katie Vick meant anything to Kane. He then added that Kane was a murderer.

Next week on RAW, Kane came out and told his side of the story. The story went something along the lines of, Kane and his girlfriend, Katie Vick, went out one night and when Kane got behind the wheel he crashed his car and Katie Vick died from the impact.

The next week it showed Triple H again mocking Kane. HHH aired a video clip showing Katie Vick's funeral. It showed a fake body of Katie Vick in a casket and then Triple H got up and began having sex with it.

The week after that the angle finally ended with a casket match between Triple H and Kane.

 

[Iafeta]

See, I don't think like a child, so I really don't care how they feel. Pro wrestling programming is rated PG13+ in Australia, which means kids young enough to actually believe it are only watching at their parents discretion. I love my pro wrestling, but you're kidding yourself if you think the current content is suitable for younger eyes. Ass-kissing, stripping, swearing, racially based characters...

Sure, characters such as The Boogeyman and the minis are clearly directed at children, but a Hell in a Cell match certainly isn't.

To me the WWE is just another soap opera. A violent, less witty version of the OC. A Neighbours with better production values.

I do understand that the whole 'faked death' thing would be disturbing for a child, but given most children don't have access to the internet to know it's 'legit' - how is Eddie's on screen 'death' any different to when the Undertaker was locked in a casket and set on fire and then came back to life on Survivor Series?

Or when Stone Cold was thrown off a bridge by The Rock?

You're arguing that children will be disturbed because they don't have access to the internet to know the details and know that it's not a real business, but you leave out that many similar angles have played out on TV. The only difference is, this one is real, but your average kid watching wrestling and believing it's real wouldn't know this for gospel. We know because we know the industry is worked and we know that Eddie legitimately died. If a kid believes wrestling is real, then they believe that Randy Orton killed The Undertaker and that Triple H dressed as Kane to **** a dead girl.

Yes, but there's a line.

And whether you like it or not, kids still do watch professional wrestling, they still do make up a large part of the professional wrestling market both in quantitative measures (EG selling merchandise) and in untangible measures like who's most interested in getting the channel on the wrestling.

The percentage of people knowing the industry is a work is increasing due to the growth of technology and the awareness it creates, but still, regardless of how adult orientated skits have become, there is still a lot of children interested in professional wrestling who still 'believe'. They still want their Hulk Hogan invincible leader character, thats partially how Bill Goldberg got over because kids identified with him being a superhero.

In regards to the Taker/Stone Cold contrasts, there were no obituaries filed, there was no post-mortem, there was no episodes of outwardly crying. Children aren't totally stupid and can create a perceptions, like we have, that Eddie Guerrero is dead. Really dead. Why f*ck with that? Particularly when its not needed, or warranted. Remember, Eddie Guerrero was a bonafide main eventer who needs no further stimulation or created agendas to get over with the supporters.

 

[Misanthrope]

In regards to the Taker/Stone Cold contrasts, there were no obituaries filed, there was no post-mortem, there was no episodes of outwardly crying.

With the exception of the outward crying, the rest doesn't matter. You think an eight year old kid knows an obituary was filed? That they did an autopsy? Any kid who knows that, knows the wrestling is a work. Eddie's death wasn't huge news outside of the wrestling industry.

 

[Iafeta]

All I will say to that is, sit down, and watch wrestling with your 10 year old relatives. Who still think its real, who still get emotional when something goes wrong, who buy the t-shirts, who get the games, and then think of what it'd do to that part of their market if they did what the first article implies.

Not only would it be morally indefensible, it would undoubtedly cut out one of their key demographics.

 

[Misanthrope]

You realise that I'd like nothing more than to see the WWE take a massive demographic burn, right?

 

[Eelectrica]

If it was a work my reaction would be 'You got me.' and I'd be elated because it would mean seeing Eddie back in action. I'll also admit their have been a couple of times when I've wondered at the possiblilty of it being a work, but quickly dismissed the notion.

Sadly their is no way it is a work though. The only reason they are still using his name in current story lines is to keep his memory fresh in peoples minds for his HOF inducton.

After Wrestlemania his name will be rapidly fased out of the storylines and will rarely be mentioned on TV again. People will have moved on as best they can, the way people do.

Finally if they ever were to run a fake death angle - and Vince is probably just crazy enough to do it, I think they'd pick a bigger name star like Triple H or Kurt Angle (If he'd agree to it). Which isn't intended to mean that Eddie wasn't a big star in his own right, he Certainly was. Just to say that they'd save an Angle like that for an even bigger star.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

The fake death taboo is gone. We already broke it down by pretending nibbs was dead at rleague.

 

[PARANoIR]

Finally if they ever were to run a fake death angle - and Vince is probably just crazy enough to do it, I think they'd pick a bigger name star like Triple H or Kurt Angle (If he'd agree to it). Which isn't intended to mean that Eddie wasn't a big star in his own right, he Certainly was. Just to say that they'd save an Angle like that for an even bigger star.

Hmm..well when Eddie died, Vince was quoted as to have said that Eddie could well be the best ever. So, clearly Vince personally thought of him pretty highly. Who knows what goes on inside that crazy ****s ass.

 

[paulb88]

No way at all. If it were a work, and then a wrestler were to EVER pass away for real, nobody would belive it.
Of course i'd love to think he's alive, but he isn't. 100% No WAY

 

[aussies1st]

See, I don't think like a child, so I really don't care how they feel. Pro wrestling programming is rated PG13+ in Australia, which means kids young enough to actually believe it are only watching at their parents discretion. I love my pro wrestling, but you're kidding yourself if you think the current content is suitable for younger eyes. Ass-kissing, stripping, swearing, racially based characters...

Sure, characters such as The Boogeyman and the minis are clearly directed at children, but a Hell in a Cell match certainly isn't.

To me the WWE is just another soap opera. A violent, less witty version of the OC. A Neighbours with better production values.

I do understand that the whole 'faked death' thing would be disturbing for a child, but given most children don't have access to the internet to know it's 'legit' - how is Eddie's on screen 'death' any different to when the Undertaker was locked in a casket and set on fire and then came back to life on Survivor Series?

Or when Stone Cold was thrown off a bridge by The Rock?

You're arguing that children will be disturbed because they don't have access to the internet to know the details and know that it's not a real business, but you leave out that many similar angles have played out on TV. The only difference is, this one is real, but your average kid watching wrestling and believing it's real wouldn't know this for gospel. We know because we know the industry is worked and we know that Eddie legitimately died. If a kid believes wrestling is real, then they believe that Randy Orton killed The Undertaker and that Triple H dressed as Kane to **** a dead girl.

The difference with Eddie's death and the Taker/Stone Cold one is the latter were done in wrestling hence they wouldn't let a person die. Eddie was outside of wrestling.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Im not believing any of it. But it would make for one hell of a story line if it was true...

Exactly, if he came back and turned heel which would be the best way to do it, a feud with Eddie and Mysterio would be absolutely brillant.

And guys its quite easy for a person to go into recluse dont count that out if Vinnie wanted to its easy enough, and obviously without a doubt his family would know thats just common sense.

At the end of the day this column by the guy is the equivalent of a marvel "What if" exciting if it did happen highly unlikely it ever will though.

And ratings would go through the roof who wouldnt tune into to see what eddies reason was for faking it????

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

And another thing, why the **** are people saying they'd be offended.

Grow the **** up its a TV show, its not real life everything is scripted.

As much as you may enjoy its all make believe punch and kick, wouldnt you be happy the guys alive rather then worm food?

 

[Raider_69]

its not about prefering eddie to be dead you f**king idiot
its about the principle of it, and faking a death in such a way, having Beniot come out in tears all the tributes, the fans that have cryed and weaped for eddie... there is a line and WWE would have jumped across it and piss on it

 

[Raider_69]

faking the death of a charactor is fine, but to fake the death of the actual man, the guy behind the charactor is taking it way way WAY too far IMO