This week’s SmackDown spoilers have caused an uproar. Diva fans across the Internet, including in our comments section, have taken WWE to task over what they have read. All this before the show even airs tomorrow.
Without giving too much away to the spoiler-phobes among us, tomorrow’s SmackDown will see the continued taunting of Mickie James at the hands of Women’s Champion, Michelle McCool and Layla. But some seem to think that what will air tomorrow night crosses a line, given the reports that came out last month when James was shockingly traded to SmackDown after four years as Raw’s top dog.
Since the spoilers hit the ‘net on Tuesday night, fans have connected the dots between the scripted drama and the real life, behind the scenes drama. In case you’re one of the two people that lived under a rock at the time; Mickie was reportedly being ‘punished’ for continued weight gain via the move to SmackDown.
Is what will air on SmackDown tomorrow a scripted jibe stemming from the purported real life drama? Or is it a subtle nod to Internet gossip, making light of the reports? Fans have been inclined to believe the former. When it comes to WWE, it seems ‘benefit of the doubt’ doesn’t exist; we always jump to the negative connotation. And if truth be told, given their history, we’re not surprised.
With reports of WWE’s supposed unhappiness with Mickie’s weight, did they really just put her on blast on national television? It wouldn’t be the first time ‘real life’ backstage issues have crept into WWE scripts — the company has often been known to rib their talent on screen. No one knows this better than Jim Ross, who in 2005 was the butt of a joke [quite literally] when he had surgery. If this is the case, while they may be hiding behind the fact that it’s scripted — surely this is just workplace bullying at it’s core?
Then there’s the other scenario; what if WWE and Mickie have taken the online reports and decided to make light of them? After all, there’s no better way of answering speculation than sending yourself up, something we oft see in Hollywood. Could the jibes be a nod to the Internet furore?
We’ll likely never know the answer but as with all things on the Internet, it’s up for speculation and debate. Do you think Mickie may be in on the joke and pre-approved being subjected to in such a manner? Or is it, as the title suggests, ‘scripted bullying’? Discuss!
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November 20, 2009 at 12:38 am
The video of it already hit the net if anyone’s interested. It’s pretty messed up and I can’t tell what the crowds reaction is, but for the most part it sounds like they’re laughing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ62-EGEZhQ&feature=player_embedded
November 20, 2009 at 12:55 am
I think it’s both. It’s both WWE & just scripting. It’s WWE’s reminder to Mickie that she needs to lose some pounds & it’s also just part of the script. I don’t think there’s any ill-intent on anyone’s part. I’ve noticed for months that Mickie looks like she’s a tad overweight & since she’s feuding with Michelle McCool(who’s body is physically toned considering she says she eats pizza & buttercream frosting once a week), it’s her role as a heel to make fun of her rival. She made fun of Maria & Melina, too. It’s what a heel does. I don’t find this wrong in the least considering 99.99% of what happens in WWE is all scripted. What I think crosses the line is that since spoilers came out on Tuesday, people have hated one Michelle(More than usual I mind you) for something her company told her to do. If you wanna hate her, hate the suits at HQ who told her to act this way. That, to me, is what crosses the line & not what WWE is doing allegedly to one individual.
November 20, 2009 at 12:57 am
Hi, I’m new, this will be my first time comment, been a fan of this site for a while now. I truly don’t know what this is, but I hope it ends here. I saw a fan’s video of the segment, it looks more hurtful than people are describing, speaking as a woman, this segment is the reason why so many young girls have eat disorders and low self-esteem. Not to mention, Mickie James has been working hard with WWE non stop for the past 4 years and this is the thanks she gets. This segment failed in so many different ways it not even funny.
November 20, 2009 at 1:08 am
Honestly, I think people are just taking this way too serious. If it is a shot at her real life then whatever, it’s not like it’s the first time a diva has been called fat on TV. Trish called Molly and Lita fat. Sable called Torrie Wilson fat. Like somebody has said before, it’s just a generic thing for a heel to say to another woman. We all know, not matter what, Mickie James will get her revenge come out on top.
November 20, 2009 at 1:31 am
WWe can do and say anything they want to do b cuz at the end of the day Mickie James isnt fat..she may be packing extra pounds but she isnt fat….I love Mickie for who she is always has and always will.
November 20, 2009 at 2:04 am
Honestly all i can say is its an angle, too many people are over-analysing it
November 20, 2009 at 2:23 am
@Christie – you are 100% accurate, people are blowing this waaay out of proportion – like you said, its certainly not the first time a WWE diva has had her weight poked fun at on TV, and won’t be the last. Jillian Hall was even called fat (a “cow” to be exact) by Raw guest host Sharon Osbourne a few weeks back. Are people just upset because Mickie is face? I think the whole thing is just an attempt by the SD! writers to get Michelle over as a mega-heel.
November 20, 2009 at 2:29 am
Everyone is taking this way to seriously, it’s a funny storyline showing how bitchy Michelle & Layla are being to the “new girl”. Mickie is still the top diva and I’m sure she agreed to do the storyline. Either way Mickie knows she’s attractive and popular and the fans know it too, so why blow it out of proportion? Thats what mean girls do, they pick your flaws in shove it in your face. We should be happy that Smackdown is having good matches and storylines for the divas instead of that shit on Raw.
November 20, 2009 at 3:52 am
This segment is so laughable not because its funny, but because it is soooooo childish. There was nothing else Michelle and Layla could have done but talk about her weight?? This just shows that the creative team isn’t that creative. How many times do we have to see a woman get put down for her weight?? We saw it with Lita, Molly Holly, Vickie etc.
November 20, 2009 at 4:00 am
Yeah. People are definitely taking this too seriously.
November 20, 2009 at 5:59 am
Quit frankly I think everyone needs to lighten up on this. Everyone is making a huge deal out of nothing. If this was Mickie out there making comments about Michelle being to skinny and looking like a stick no one would have any problem with it. Everyone would be yeah go Mickie give her more. But b/c this is Michelle McCool doing this everyone is … Read Moreup in arms. IT’S A DAMN STORYLINE PP!! Atleast SD has a Divas storyline going unlike RAW where it’s be so bland and stale for so long no one gives a damn anymore.
As for Mickie’s weight issues yes she’s gained weight and you can see it, it’s causing her to be slow in the ring and having prolbems w/ moves and timing. This isn’t the first time the WWE has something like this and it won’t be the last. I think it’s more of the fact that it’s Michelle doing this and not so much to do w/ Mickie.
November 20, 2009 at 7:25 am
This has Vince McMahon’s fingerprints all over it, he does it because he can.
Actually its amazing they went back to this again so soon after all the heat they took (from the talent in the lockeroom) about the Edge/Vicky Pigfest.
I really doubt Mickie went to Vince and pitched………”Call me a Pig” in front of millions of people.
Must have been quite the WWE PG moment for all the soccer moms and their little girls as well.
Read a few eyewitness reports from fans in attendance who described the segment as “tasteless” and “disgusting”.
Doesnt say much for the writing team that this is the only way they have to push an angle.
If they follow the stale script Mickie gets her head shaved at the PPV Sunday or on Raw, where she and McCool are booked for the 3 hour Thanksgiving show.
(And everyone’s right………..its not Michelle’s fault………….talent does what they are told to do.)
WWE didnt bury Mickie on Raw the way they did to put her over as Champion on Smackdown.
Story going around tonight is that they’ve already soured on Melina on Raw, looks like the Old Guard is being shown the door, Survivor Series is going to be very interesting.
.
November 20, 2009 at 7:31 am
you guys are weird, first you guys say shes fat,
now you guys change your mind just cause they made it a storyline?
you guys wwe dont punish the divas, i mean they can cancel out of raw, sd, or ecw.
and paper views. so this is clearly a storyline.i mean i never looked at mickie fat,
i think she is absolutely gorgeous.
November 20, 2009 at 8:00 am
They still describe Mickie well on commentary i.e former women’s champ, one of the greatest divas etc…, but I still find it a little awkward to think that they’re calling her a pig considering all the rumours. It just seems a little… coincidental? I like to hope I’m thinking too much into it, though…
I guess because it’s a heel taunting a face, one would assume it’s not intended for the fans to laugh at.
November 20, 2009 at 10:13 am
molly holly has had interviews talking about when she was made a joke of on wwe tv and how she used to cry to herself about it. i just think it’s incredibly tasteless and not really that good a job coming from creative. whats next, mickie lolzing at mccool ‘cos she’s not a virgin? or um hey beth give me your lunch moniez!!
November 20, 2009 at 10:43 am
lmao people need to calm down for real. The people trashing it are the ones who wanted WWE to stop doing 2 minute rushed botched matches and actually work promos and angles into feuds. It was a hilarious video and Michelle had me dying of laughter, but I also in the end, felt bad for Mickie, so oluk it did its job in making Mickie look like the underdog (which is the best role she has when face) and it made Michelle and Layla look like catty witches.
November 20, 2009 at 10:52 am
I hope during all this Mickie calls her “Michelle McRibs” with how anorexic Michelle looks.
November 20, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I know it’s scripted and I know it’s an angle. But that doesn’t make it right. My little sister isn’t anywhere near being overweight, but last year someone told her she was fat and now she’s lost almost 30 pounds and we have a hard time getting her to eat. And I’m not allowing her to watch this segment. If she thinks that someone who looks like Mickie James is being called a ‘Pig’ then it’s going to affect her as well. And personally this actually makes me not want to watch Smackdown tonight, and as I stated earlier I KNOW THIS IS SCRIPTED AND THAT IT’S AN ANGLE, but also as I said: It Doesn’t Make it Right.
And we wonder why America has so many problems with Eating Disorders?
November 20, 2009 at 12:35 pm
And yes as someone else stated: When this Angle was used with BOTH Molly Holly and Lita both women expressed, after it was done, how bad it hurt to be called Fat. And even earlier this year: Vickie walked away from WWE, supposedly for her daughters, but she had an interview and said that her daughters weren’t the only reason. She was tired of being told she wasn’t good enough and was fat backstage, and then had to deal with it when the Santina storyline started.
November 20, 2009 at 1:39 pm
As I said in the spoiler topic, I don’t see what’s the big deal in this. If it was a guy being “bullied” on being fat, everyone would find it funny, but when it is a woman, the comments about the rudeness of it and how it affects young girls in a negative way appear immediately on websites. First of all, like I said in the other topic, I don’t consider Mickie fat, but even if she was, she’s considered by PWI the best female wrestler and she’s still pretty and sexy. And I’m sure she knows that.
Besides, being called fat might be bad, but with the money this girls earn, I honestly wouldn’t mind it. I would be like: Okay, call me fat in a storyline. I’m still a fan favorite. I still earn in a month what a average American might earn in a year, and i’m still going to kick some skinny girl ass.
So yeah, I don’t feel sorry for Mickie, especially because I’m sure she«s going to have a major push thanks to this and maybe win the title again. And I actually think that is a good influence to little girls. After all, it proves that “big” women, like Beth, Mickie, Natalya, etc can be way more powerful than skinny ones and that they can be beautiful and stylish.
Anyways, this is not Mccool’s fault and to those who say that she is anorexic (which is as rude as saying Mickie is fat), search the word anorexic in google images and see what looks like a TRUE anorexic. Michelle isn’t to skinny, her body is just well toned. After all she was a fitness model and as far as I know, to be a fitness model you have to look healthy and have some abs.
November 20, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Like I said if Mickie james is okay with it and it doesn’t bother her than it’s okay with me long as she’s not in tears backstage.
November 20, 2009 at 5:48 pm
To Ana_Nattie_rules: I actually never thought of it that way. But nw that I do I still don’t necessarily think it’s right. I wish we could get Mickie’s opinion on this topic. It would make i soooo much easier.
November 20, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Well its normal. People usually think negatively when they use things like being fat or ugly, but there’s always a good side. This things show that less model-like people can also succeed. Although Mickie isn’t fat nor ugly. Actually i think she has a prettier face then most of the Divas, but that is my esthetic judgement xD
November 20, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Let’s see what actually comes out of this. For all we know it might end up with Mickie beating the odds, storyline wise. Also, The Beautiful People in TNA have made a gimmick in ridiculing other Knockouts for their looks. If this is anything like that it may not turn out as badly as people think.
November 20, 2009 at 6:58 pm
“Michelle McRibs” LOL I love it! I can imagine that being announced as she comes out to the ring. But seriously, they both have great figures and I agree with what some people say; I think that for some people who can’t think logically and separate fantasy from reality they think that it’s Michelle McCool who’s doing this all on her own and not a doggone storyline. I like both Mickie and Michelle, so.
November 20, 2009 at 7:03 pm
hahahaha Mickie deserves it she had her chance and she got botted out by sloppy Melina lol thank u WWE.
November 20, 2009 at 7:03 pm
At the same time, focusing on a person’s weight isn’t the way to go. In response to what someone said about if it was a man being ridiculed nobody would have a problem w/it, the things said about Roddy Piper’s body actually bothered me.
November 20, 2009 at 7:06 pm
and Anna-Nattie I love u, u make so much sense.
November 20, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Michelle McCool established herself as a ruthless heel built on aggression. I actually thought her heel turn was one of the better things in women’s wrestling last year/early this year. So to see her put in a petty/immature angle really puts paid to all of her hard work. I think a better storyline would have been how nasty McCool could be in the ring, rather than resort to stupid bitching. That way Mickie James could have been the underdog trying to compete with such a dangerous opponent. Sometimes it’s best to let the wrestling tell the story. This angle is just a regression. Sorry.
November 20, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Pidbull2298: thanks D:
a differentsame: Well being vicious in the ring is a good idea, but Beth is already doing that. And lets face it. Even though Michelle is a great athlete, it would be hard to make her look that vicious and nasty in the ring and still look credible.
Imagine: Michelle tries to go vicious at Beth…yeah right, like that could happen. But maybe if she stays in a aliiance with Layla…then maybe that could happen.
If you look to WWE in the past…those vicious attacks are always done by bigger wrestlers. Beth, Mark Henry are good examples, or even Kong in TNA.
November 20, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Ana_Nattie_Rules;
Not really. A “Mean Girls“ gimmick in which Michelle uses farm jokes is a long, long way from credibility. Michelle’s wrestling shifted into a more aggressive, shoot style where she focused on simply hurting her opponents after her heel turn. Segments where she annihilated both Maria and Eve effectively got her over as a credible threat in the ring. Michelle was able to come across as a bully within the ring. This compensated for her lack of persona in promos. Continuing with this would have only added more anticipation to an inevitable feud with Beth Phoenix. After all, what’s better than having one dangerous Diva in the ring? Two. Rather than the tedious gimmick we’re seeing now, I would have preferred McCool to have gone all out to end James’ career — say, jumping her at every chance. That way the writers would have kept in touch with her ruthless streak while maintaining to the underhand role of the heel.
And there’s a difference between being vicious and being a monster. A heel Victoria and Melina fit the former. Beth Phoenix and Awesome Kong fit the latter.
November 20, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Well, you actually made a good point. I wasn’t seeing it like that. But I still think it would be hard for Mccool to play that role against Beth. Maybe with other divas yes, but Beth is Beth. She’s the WWE Diva with more physical power.
But well, nothing a steel chair wouldn’t solve…oh I forgot that WWE is PG now. There’s no way they will let Michelle destroy another women with a steel chair.
November 20, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Randy Orton isn’t the biggest wrestler but he is still able to exude a vicious offense against those bigger wrestlers. For sure Beth would pose the best physical strength, but that could easily be compromised by Michelle’s ring prowess — her submission moves, for instance. That’s the great thing about Michelle McCool — the amount of danger she has without the use of weapons. Melina was the same in her rivalry with Beth; not so much the underdog but someone whose aggression made her a match for the monster odds.
November 20, 2009 at 9:37 pm
By the way, it’s not just the divas that get insulted on tv. The superstars have taken the ultimate shot at their.. uh “willy” lol like Chris Jericho, Jamie Noble, and Edge just to name a few. I’m sure they are not exactly happy about that either. As for the Vince McMahon thing, he’s made himself look like a complete ass and has done things so humiliating that fat jokes just sound silly.