Former ECW Owner and Key Member of the WWE Creative Team Paul Heyman

has posted two must-read blogs  as part of the "Heyman Hustle" series on

 the Sun (UK) this morning.

 

In the "Best and "Worst" of World Wrestling Entertainment, Heyman calls

WWE to task for their controversial storyline this past Sunday when it was

announced Jeff Hardy was found unconscious at his hotel.

 

KEY EXCERPT:

 

The callous view taken by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and those around him, not even taking into account how brazenly insensitive this storyline may be viewed, is yet another in a long line of demonstrations by Vince that getting people talking is paramount, and no rules apply because "it's only entertainment," and people should embrace the soap opera-like enticements to stay tuned.

 

I think it was just bad business.

 

WWE made the conscious choice to present a scenario that called for speculation as to why the reportedly twice-suspended Jeff Hardy was found unconscious in his hotel. Not once did WWE report the entire day "Hardy was jumped by an unknown assailant," that "new information"  was revealed during the pay per view broadcast. To make matters worse, WWE acted like regional promoters in the 1970's, appearing to be almost giddy at the fact several mainstream news agencies picked up the story as legitimate.

 

"They're buying it as a shoot!"  Whoopie!

 

This type of behavior just leaves such a bad taste in the mouths of people who already look down on pro wrestling / sports entertainment. I remember one time Vince was so angry at me that his face turned neon purple because he was lamenting about the fact WWE draws so many people to their television shows, and yet the advertising rates for WWE programming are a percentage of what other shows, who don't have a comparable audience, can charge. I made the statement that to mainstream advertisers, WWE fits in the category of "low brow," and that "to them, we'll always be served our Thanksgiving turkey out the back door."  Vince was furious with the statement. "We're just like movies and every other form of entertainment," he bellowed, "what makes us less in anyone's eyes?"

 

The answer to Vince's question is, "the way the Jeff Hardy storyline was presented and carried out."  The omission of details of why Hardy was hospitalized, the obvious conclusion the fans reading the story could come to, and the fact WWE thought it was appropriate to leverage its good will to not immediately inform the inquiring media "this is just a storyline, like every other form of entertainment (ahem)" played into the hands of those who believe this is low brow, bottom feeding entertainment.

 

You can read the entire blog at this link:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/heyman/article1975272.ece

 

More from Heyman available at www.heymanhustle.com

including interviews with Playboy's Holly Madison, Danity Kane lead singer

(well, not anymore) Aubrey O'Day, gorgeous Playboy Playmate Sasckya Porto,

WWE Hall of Famer Jesse Ventura, Missy Hyatt, James Lipton, Broadway

sensation Laura Bell Bundy, You Tube divorcee Tricia Walsh Smith, Gossip

Girl's Taylor Momsen, GNR bassist Duff McKagan, Ice-T and Coco, and more!