Fox News criticizes WWE for Zeb Colter gimmick.

[Tapout]

Fox News featured a segment on Tuesday covering the angle in WWE involving Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter in what they called WWE "mocking" the Tea Party movement in the United States. Tons of conservative media have been covering the angle in WWE prompting an official response from the company.

WWE's Senior VP of Marketing and Communications Brian Flinn issued the following statement to The Hollywood Reporter in response.

"WWE has a long history of creating fictional characters that serve as either protagonists or antagonists, no different than other television shows or feature films. To create compelling and relevant content for our audience, it is important to incorporate current events into our storylines. WWE is creating drama centered on a topical subject that has varying points of view to develop a rivalry between two characters. This storyline in no way represents WWE’s political point of view. One should not confuse WWE’s storytelling with what WWE stands for, similar to other entertainment companies such as Warner Bros., Universal Studios or Viacom."

Source: WrestleView.com.

Interesting. Fox has also taken down the 5 minute video of them criticizing WWE for the Colter/Swagger's gimmick. Reports of other Conservative media groups have been criticizing Zeb as well. I didn't think the Conservatives would have a problem with this gimmick. Anyways, the gimmick is getting some main stream attention. May not be good attention, but its still getting some. Do you think WWE should continue on with the character? Will Swaggers DUI and arrest effect this?

Please try to refrain from turning this thread into a Liberal/Conservative debate.

 

[Chris]

I'm from the South and have fairly conservative beliefs and I think the gimmick is hilarious.

 

[John McHenry]

Please try to refrain from turning this thread into a Liberal/Conservative debate.

Not quite sure how you expect to achieve this without talking about the news channel listed or the character...

It's odd the Fox is the one pointing it out as it's probably a criticism of their viewership in general.

 

[Gimmick]

He's playing a character. I really don't see what the big deal is here.

 

[Troy]

Yeah I don't get the criticism of it from Fox all they are really doing is bringing more attention to the gimmick and showing it off to a wider audience. Media still don't understand that wrestling is just another form of television and that they, like all other forms of entertainment, base characters on real life groups and people as well. So weird to complain something as minor as this on a "news" channel.

 

[The Cork]

Fox getting worked.

Marks.

 

[Rated R Superstar]

Any kind of publicity for this gimmick is good.

 

[Mick Donalds]

I'm from the South and have fairly conservative beliefs and I think the gimmick is hilarious.

Me too. I think it's hilarious, but it'll get derailed by the DUI. He'll be jobbing to Yoshi Tatsu in no time before the Future Endeavors.

 

[Deezy]

Fox News is just mad because of gimmick infringement.

They are the only ones to con marks into watching their shows with uber-conservative agenda, not the WWE.

the nerve of WWE.