WWE crossed the line with part of its script at Sunday’s “Battleground” event in Tampa, Fla. Before Alexander Rusev’s match against Jack Swagger, his so-called manager Lana took the microphone and began taunting the audience about blaming Russia for the “recent current events.”
Of course, Lana — who is played by American actress Catherine Joy Perry — was referring to Malaysian flight MH17. The commercial airliner was shot down over the Ukraine last week, and there has been speculation that Russia had a hand in bringing down the plane.
“You blame Russia for these recent current events when, in fact, you Americans should be scolded for your war warmongering in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Lana said. “You Americans should be insulted and afraid.”
Lana also said that Rusev was dedicating his match to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
“Tonight we dedicate this match to the most powerful man in the world,” she said. “Tonight we dedicate this match to the man that makes fools out of all of you Americans. He is my role model. He is my idol, the president of Russia.”
Wrestling is entertainment. Nearly 300 passengers and crew were killed when flight MH17 was shot out of the sky by a missile. There is nothing entertaining about that. WWE does a great job of playing up its heels and getting people to genuinely hate the villains, but how did a script like that ever get approved? That was a major mistake.
Video via NY Post
