In perhaps a sign of the tide turning, WWE has finally acknowledged Mickie James‘ budding music career on their official website. At the end of last year, Mickie received some buzz from music blogs including CMT about her upcoming country album [due in April], which WWE.com has picked up on. They write:
The Internet is buzzing about Mickie James’ budding country music career. The Diva’s first single will be released in February, and her debut album drops in March.
Mickie tells CMT Blog: “As in any entertainment industry, you have to see the sheep in wolf’s clothing and you have to be able to differentiate who’s being real and who’s just hopping on board for all the wrong reasons.” Read the full blog at blog.cmt.com.
The Diva has signed a deal with Nashville, Tenn., producer Kent Wells, who has worked with Dolly Parton and Neal McCoy. Read more at AOL’s The Boot at theboot.com.
I find it coincidental that WWE finally acknowledges Mickie’s music career, which is reportedly part of the reason why she was being ‘punished’ with the ‘Piggie James’ storyline, now that she has received mainstream exposure. Mickie is gaining attention for the company by being touted with the prefix of ‘WWE Diva’ to her name on these music blogs, perhaps why WWE sees fit to jump on the bandwagon.
I do hope this is a turning of the tide though, in that they’re now going to support her going forward. I believe she’s worked super hard since moving to SmackDown and she’s really shining through. I hope WWE sees that and that is why they are supporting her, but the cynic in me thinks otherwise.
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January 4, 2010 at 5:05 pm
her music career aside, i remember being terribly confused but mostly disappointed when mickie and beth were both traded to smackdown. if anything, it’s done them the world of wonders.
with her album release still a few months away, i get the feeling we’ll see the piggie story played out even longer, as if they’re really in a generous mood they may give her the belt during it’s release. a win, win for both, in a way.
January 4, 2010 at 5:28 pm
I’ve always said that this punishment from WWE (the insults from the people the audience are supposed to hate and not care about the opinion of) is just not fair. Why are they making her suffer by giving her countless pinfall victories, number one contendership to the top female title, more tv time than any other woman and a PPV title match? They do all this while women like the Bella’s are getting huge pushes (they get to be seen with the guest host for about 2 minutes every single week!).
Nah, in all seriousness, since moving to Smackdown the WWE have given Mickie the best push she’s had since she first debuted. The Piggy James insults and the storyline in general has been handled pretty darn well so far, and it brings up some good questions about attractiveness and weight that is constantly seen in the mainstream media. In a way it’s a shame Mickie is involved (I could easily have seen Melina in place of Mickie;”Piggy Perez”) because Mickie’s had all the NEWZ stories in the past about her weight and her fans are fiercely, and overtly, passionate about sticking up for her (I think the storyline is possibly playing on that, but I have no belief that they are punishing her by giving her this push). A lot of wrestling sites seem determined to make WWE out to be this evil company that revels in punishing and embarrasing the wrestlers that they are giving sizeable pushes to.
I think it’s a real shame this storyline is getting slated as it is by many people. It’s a good storyline, albeit one that has been stolen from basically every soap ever (and obviously the producers were punishing every single actress who has played that part XD).
The WWE has made it very clear throughout the storyline that what Michelle/Layla are doing is wrong; they’ve had Jerry Lawler, Todd Grisham and Michael Cole all call out anyone who calls Mickie fat (King-”If you think Mickie James is fat you need to go to a seeing eye doctor). They even had Beth Phoenix question and confront Michelle/Layla and she’s a heel (for the time being…). If they wanted to punish Mickie she wouldn’t be on TV, or she would ACTUALLY be humiliated (fat jokes from the faces, ie DX).
January 4, 2010 at 5:30 pm
I think this is great. Mickie is pursuing a music career and WWE isn’t acting like its not going on.
I think that this is a great opportunity for LayCool vs “Piggie” storyline to go a bit farther. Maybe have LayCool make fun of Mickie’s album but really be a whole jealousy thing. We seen this tons of times before but this time in a new way. Then Mickie winning the title, in an emotional battle at No Way Out or even WrestleMania. It’s really just stretching out the storyline.
January 4, 2010 at 6:04 pm
jj, i respectfully disagree with u. she may be getting a push but doesnt mean wwe isnt having a joke at her expense. in fact it was actually melanie who i think put it best when i read this a few weeks ago..
“It’s clear to those that follow wrestling and understand how it works that this storyline isn’t just WWE wanting to tackle a sensitive issue in order to shed light on it, but rather a personal jibe — or as we’ve called it, scripted bullying — towards Mickie. WWE television is not the same as other scripted dramas where actors play characters completely different to the themselves; these actors take on storylines such as alcoholism, drug abuse etc. in roles that have no bearing on their personal lives. Mickie’s situation is different and I’m sorry, I just can’t buy the whole “we’re telling stories to tackle social issues~” excuse that other scripted shows can get away with. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I find it hard to believe that Mickie doesn’t feel uneasy about the storyline or the implications of it. In fact, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a woman that could step into Mickie’s shoes and not feel uneasy about it.”
January 4, 2010 at 6:09 pm
best of luck to her
January 4, 2010 at 7:08 pm
WWE likes publicity. Personally, I think it’d look bad on their part that they have a storyline going where they have Mickie subjected to this kind of criticism, but in watching it all, it’s so infantile that it doesn’t seem that dangerous to me. Mickie comes out week after week in outfits which show off her figure (her midsection in particular), which speaks to me more than anything else: Mickie likes her figure and she doesn’t care what anyone thinks. As she’s said herself, 130~135 lb isn’t fat to her nor is it to me. Just that little thing, her ring attire, speaks volumes to me, and that’s what I get a message from. I like the message.
January 4, 2010 at 7:11 pm
The difference in how this storyline is being played and when it’s been used on soap operas is that soap actresses give their okays to playing the story. And, in the end, they’re not being ridiculed into losing the weight (Beth Maitland from Young and Restless and Judi Evans from Another World both played stories in which their character’s weights were an issue). If anything, those stories have been about the characters taking pride in how they look, regardless of their shape.
Plus, reports of the WWE getting on Mickie about her weight were surfacing long before this “Piggy James” stuff even came to light. So, that more than adds to the fact that this storyline is about punishing her.
January 4, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Can someone please help me out here! I’m confused!
Whats WWE meaning of Mickies singing career?
IMO If WWE wanted to punish Mickie they would make her lose matches and no upgradig of her character! Moving to Smackdown has been good for Mickie, although she storyline being portrayed is really pathetic, but Mickies won lots of matches and been No. 1 Contender and is being put in the lime light a lot! I dont see this as punishment, Punishment IMO is really bad insults being thrown at Mickie in segments countless losses in matches etc etc
I think Mickie is doing fine, with this push I dont sense her leaving just yet, but with what I have just said, I hope and pray that I havent cursed Mickies treatment with WWE! I hope they give her an amazing send off if she was to leave after all Mickie has done tons for WWE, and they slam her down for a little thing. Its quite pathetic.
I dreamed of being a wrestler for WWE one day but I gave up on my dream when i found out the way wretlers are treated! I would never let people walk all over me and tell me what I have to look like etc. Its entertainment not a beauty! WWE REALISE THIS!!!!!!!
January 4, 2010 at 7:29 pm
Just because she wins matches doesn’t mean everything’s honky dory. The WWE puts her in big matches because, at the end of the day, they know that:
a. She can deliver in the ring
and
b. That she’s still the most over female on their roster
None of those things erases the fact that they still want her to lose weight and have decided to drill that message home in the shadiest and most humiliating of manners.
January 4, 2010 at 7:33 pm
Im not saying that but WWE when they punish! They will they punish! And it will be hard for us veiwers to see!
Maybe WWE have actually opened thier eyes and seen that Mickie is not fat after all
January 5, 2010 at 1:33 am
They really should take advantage of this. If her singing’s good and catches on with main stream fans it could make them want to watch her wrestling work (if she stays on with the WWE). Besides Jericho’s allowed to do Fozzy on the side, so they shouldn’t be such hypocrits about this.
But they didn’t help Stacy at all during her run with Dancing with the Stars so why should this be any different? Sigh.