Bully uses a gay slur in Chicago

[Dolph'sZiggler]

This was directed at a paying member of the audience specifically, and that in a whole makes it completely different. Regardless of whether this was right or wrong, it's not good for TNA at all. Bully doesn't need to resort to homophobia to get boos, and TNA have already had to publicly apologise.

Would you be okay with an African American being racially abused as well? Or is racism a completely different matter (which it's not)?

It is completely different because I seriously doubt the person he was calling a fag was gay. obviously if you want to get racist you already know you are striking a very specific nerve.

I guess I'm just an old school wrestling fan. My Dad would tell me stories of when he and friends would go to regional events and how heels would interact with fans and have old ladies swinging their purses at them. I get we live in a PC world in 2013, that doesn't mean I have to approve of thin skinned pussies getting offended over nothing.

 

[Testify]

Too much discussion over nothing. Man up, this 2013. 2013.

Dixie Carter and Bully Ray both issued apologies via Twitter yesterday as apparently Ray was a little too "Bubba Ray Dudley" with fans off the air at the Impact taping in Chicago. Cell phone footage of him really demoralizing one fan in a lewd, disgusting way popped up online shortly after, which is why the apology was issued. Ignoring the fact that the language never should have been used, it does bring to light that heel heat in 2013 is a hard line to define. On one hand, TMA really needs a truly hated heel to try and draw them money. But in the heat of the moment, a performer out to get that heat never knows when he's gone too far until after he's over the line and the fallout hits. In such a politically charged world, it turns into a scandal within seconds when it was never meant to be anything but a piece of sh** character acting like he should, like a piece of sh**. But, that's the balance pro wrestling has to deal with in 2013, where wrestling fans complain there are no real villains anymore and when someone acts like a villain with no redeeming qualities, it's called into question. I understand why but I also understand what Ray was trying to do, which was generate legitimate heat in a way that no one does in 2013.

 

[GrammarNazi82]

Might as well go ahead and chime in with my fence-riding thoughts.

I'd held off on replying about the original point (just answered Cloud concerning the sexism issue) because quite frankly I can see both sides of the matter. While personally Bully's comments don't offend or bother me any, I can see how they would bother or offend others. Given, he didn't say those things on TV, but I'm sure plenty of the audience heard and could spread the word.

I'm a big fan of Bully's, and he makes an excellent heel. I do believe he gets really into it and really plays up his character, so I can see him getting into the moment and making those random, unprovoked comments to try to play his character up. However, there are so many other ways to get heat and so many other things he could have said or done. I also do kind of hate that the fan's daughter was there to hear and see her dad being treated in such a way and hearing such derogatory remarks about her dad. Though if she's an older daughter who would understand the scenario better, then not such a problem.

Sadly (in some ways), we do live int he age of political corrected-ness, so people are going to be highly insulted by those remarks and make a big deal over it. Dixie's apology should have sufficed. Having Bully apologize for it just comes across as odd.

To Crayo's point that these comments were made at a paying audience member and not a fellow wrestler who knew it was coming -- yeah, to me, it'd be one thing if they had planted a fan just to take heat from Bully and rile up the crowd, but not some random person who didn't expect to get called a fag in front of his child while paying to attend a wrestling event.

I don't know, I kind of see both sides. While not personally effected or offended, I can see how it'd hurt TNA, so in that regard I can see that Bully may have crossed the line a bit.

 

[Senhor Perfect]

To play the advocate here, we also don't know what the fan said to Bully. I doubt Bully would single this guy out unprovoked. Maybe he sent a slur Bully's way? If so, does that change your opinion on what Bully said?

 

[GrammarNazi82]

To play the advocate here, we also don't know what the fan said to Bully. I doubt Bully would single this guy out unprovoked. Maybe he sent a slur Bully's way? If so, does that change your opinion on what Bully said?

I just went off the OP source saying:

Bully got into a fan’s face, seemingly unprovoked

But yeah, that's why I mentioned in my post about if it's unprovoked. If it was provoked then it's more understandable, but supposedly he just randomly started to verbally attack someone in the audience. Seems odd, but suppose it could happen.

If he was provoked, I would need to know what the fan said to get a better idea of whether Bully's response was more "appropriate" or not. If the fan made a gay slur towards Bully then I could see his comments being more "fitting," but if the fan didn't make a gay slur toward Bully, then we're back at square one.

 

[AnnaLove]

Anyone who remembers The Dudley Boyz in ECW, knows that this is what they do. They make the whole crowd hate them. Apparently, people became big pussies this days, and can't seem to take a single insult, without making a mess out of it.

 

[Cloud]

That ^

Also, those sexist antics aren't nearly as blatant as this homophobic slur was. You don't see male wrestlers directly go into the divas face and yell at them to go to the kitchen, or anything similar. He was flat out calling him a f#!g (and said he invented fags, lol), and all this was in front of his daughter too. It's just not acceptable imo, and I'm a huge Bully mark. He just went too far.

See im very unaware of these things as coming from my workplace which is highly diverse these things are a non occurence so i never kno what is and isnt offensive. Good area where i live very open and broadminded.

 

[AnnaLove]

 

[seabs]

That ^

Also, those sexist antics aren't nearly as blatant as this homophobic slur was. You don't see male wrestlers directly go into the divas face and yell at them to go to the kitchen, or anything similar. He was flat out calling him a f#!g (and said he invented fags, lol), and all this was in front of his daughter too. It's just not acceptable imo, and I'm a huge Bully mark. He just went too far.

That would be the greatest heel gimmick ever, imagine if they had Women refs :, FTJ should use it.

Also I honestly think going around saying you can't use homophobic remarks is the wrong action, it shouldn't be a case of oh I can't say that because I'll be arrested or whatever it should be a case of it's morally wrong so I shouldn't do it. Respect isn't bread from fear and other cliches.

 

[Testify]

Bully Ray > Everybody else > smurfs.

 

[CM Punk]

It's entertainment, why does it matter if he called him a fag?

 

[seabs]

It's entertainment, why does it matter if he called him a f#!g?

Exactly, remember when Punk called that fan a homo? That was hilarious too, it's what wrestling needs we need people who everyone can hate. Imagine Rick Rude in 2013, "look at all you sweating fa..." I'm sorry Mr Rude but your character can't say that because you might offend that women in the 7th row eating her 3rd twinkie in a minute.

I was bullied during school due to being fat and I don't see the problem with either point, if people take offense to a wrestling show they need to just :gtfo: especially when it's a bad guy who's being a dick.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Anyone who remembers The Dudley Boyz in ECW, knows that this is what they do. They make the whole crowd hate them. Apparently, people became big pussies this days, and can't seem to take a single insult, without making a mess out of it.

I like you : hew:

 

[Lockard 23]

To respond to a point from earlier, I honestly don't think homophobia is quite as bad as racism. Not saying it should be tolerated, but unless you're taking legal rights away from either of them or treating them inferior completely as a person, it just seems inherently less offensive to me to be insulted for your sexual orientation than it does for your skin color and your race. Likewise, a guy on a wrestling show (pro wrestling is serious business) calling someone a fag shouldn't even seem as offensive as it would if he uttered a racial slur.

 

[Testify]

I was bullied during school due to being fat

You were :mad2: