I would beat Mickey James out the frame.....

The Mickie angle was so stupid; why the hell is an adult crying because of a cartoon?

I think it's perfectly fine to call Punk a nerd and prude because people who live their lives cleanly do not usually refer to themselves as 'straight edge'. Straight Edge could conceivably involve a lot more than just abstinence; as Striker once referred to it as a 'self-loving cult'.

"What really made it work for me was the fact that Punk’s current rival, R-Truth, made it clear that his beef with Punk was over the fact that Punk thinks he is better than everyone else, not because he necessarily disagrees with Punk’s lifestyle choices."

The thing is, I'm not sure that he did. It was good that he said we all make our own choices in life, but that stopped short of what I hope somebody will say to Punk, which would go something like this:

"Punk, you think you're telling us anything we don't already know? We know smoking's bad for you. We know drinking's bad for you. If you don't want to smoke or drink because of that, that's cool, that's your choice. But you know what's not cool? You ordering everybody around, telling them what to do and what not to do.

"It doesn't matter if living straight edge is better for you; you've got no right to pressure anybody into living straight edge, any more than a drinker has a right to pressure you into drinking. That's what you don't get, Punk. Everybody's got a right to make a choice, and if they make a choice you don't agree with, even if they make a choice that might not be good for them, it's none of your damn business. It's their business. I don't hate you because you're straight edge, Punk. Hell, there was a time I kind of respected you for it. I hate you because for the last several months you've been running your mouth, talking about how awesome you are and how anybody who doesn't live exactly like you is pathetic and weak."

As for the Mickie James thing, originally I had no idea that Vince or WWE might actually be trying to punish her. I thought that it was just really, really bad booking, because the whole segment was just so damn stupid. You had McCool dressed up like a farm girl, singing a children's song against a farm backdrop, and calling her opponent "Piggy James."

I actually felt more embarrassed for Michelle than for Mickie when I first watched it, because Michelle was the one who really looked and sounded idiotic and childish. When I say childish, btw, I don't mean that she was acting immature. I mean that she was acting as if she literally had the mind of a six-year-old. "Ooo, Mickie James is a poopy head! What name can I call her to make her cry? Hey, 'Piggy' sort of sounds like 'Mickie'...I'll call her 'Piggy James'! Hahaha, that's funny! 'Piggy James'!"

So yeah, it's a pretty lame insult. I found it pretty hard to believe that a grown woman could be emotionally hurt by it, although if it really did hurt Mickie then I do feel sorry for her. If it didn't really hurt Mickie and she was just acting (as I originally believed), then I feel embarrassed for her just for having to play along and act like Michelle singing and dancing like an idiot and saying "Piggy James" actually made her cry.

I hope that this isn't the start of people making fun of her weight, whether it's McCool or Layla or somebody else, because as you said she is not fat by any stretch of the imagination.

Back during the Attitude era there were a lot of kids who watched WWE programming, but WWE could say that their shows weren't meant for kids and that therefore they weren't under any moral obligation to think about what kind of message they might be sending to kids. They could say that parents shouldn't let their kids watch the shows. But they can't do that any more. Their programming today is targeted as much towards kids as it is toward adults, and if they're actively trying to get children to watch their shows then they should worry about what messages children might take away from those shows.

There was a cutaway during Mickie's entrance to a mother with her little girl. Is that girl going to think that if you look like Mickie James, you're overweight and ugly? Is she going to be anorexic or bulimic when she gets older as a result of that? I'm not assuming she will be, but I'm worried about the possibility.

I kind of thought it was WWE's way to publicly embarass her. Maybe not but it was wrong to humiliate her in front of so many people, I felt bad for her crying because it seemed so real.

Great points! About the angles.

Personally I feel Mickie James I'd choose Mickie James (if given such a choice) over McCoole any day ....err night....

Wait am I sending the wrong message here? j/k

Three thoughts, Kev:

"I was more put off by how Punk’s character was handled on Tuesday’s episode of ECW."

Luckily, it's on at 10:00, when less kids are likely to be watching than a program that's ends at 10:00. Cept maybe CST...

"In the segment, a video appeared on the big screen of McCool signing 'Old McDonald'...”

Luckily, most of America doesn't know ASL.

"In real life, two people who have a strong dislike for one another wouldn’t hesitate to use such insults."

Wish that I could disagree with you.

Marko50
Not an editor. No, really. Not.

I'm a big WWE guy, but that Michelle McCool/Mickie James segment was reprehensible and disgusting. It would be one thing if we were talking about Awesome Kong. It's another when talking about James, an athletic and curvy woman who is 10x more shapely and talented than McCool. It just seemed like a cheap shot by the SmackDown writers and left me confused. Plus, it's not remotely believable and McCool comes out looking stupid after the juvenile sequence - how could anyone see James as fat?

The Punk angle, on the other hand, I think works well. CM does such a good job at being obnoxious and preachy that it contrasts with what he is actually saying. He demeans audiences and other wrestlers, rather than educates them. He's rude and condescending in his tone. They did work the "straight edge" lifestyle into his face character, which also succeeded, but instead focused on his dedication and work ethic.

Kev, I see what you mean and fully understand your point. Punk's image has to be handled well or it can backfire

BTW, being an average black dude, Molly sure looked GOOD to me!

I had not seen Smackdown this week, and when I kept reading about these angles, I wondered just what happened. I checked out the footage, and was appalled at the James/McCool video. That was one of the most inappropriate, ill conceived promos I have ever seen- to me, it's worse than Attitude Era stuff, worse than even the Katie Vick necrophilia crap from years prior. Are we going to compromise body image for the sake of generating heat? McCool needs the help that much? I think Mickie should retaliate and make fun of Michelle's stick figure, if that's the case, although, that would defeat the babyface persona. The fact that we are ridiculing a normal- sized person publicly as a 'pig' is disgusting; her tears seemed a little too genuine for my liking. There are young children, girls, in their audience, and that just reinforced all kinds of eating disorders.

The Punk issue is also disturbing, but this goes back to Hardy-Punk too. Making fun of someone for having a clean lifestyle, as ECW did, is also not appropriate. At least the Smackdown segement was done in better taste.

In amongst all the crotch-chopping, sexual innuendo, and other lewd jokes, we have to throw in these other two issues? Vince, pick a demographic and stick with it. You can't have your cake and eat it too, something I'm sure McCool will regretably reference soon...

I can't help but agree with everything you wrote here.

But one thing that wasnt mentioned was a line from Tiffany, who said that she drinks beer to live life to the fullest, or soething very similar.

Coming just 3 months after Jeffs crap about "living for the moment" just made it even more idiotic.

I hope CM Punk is allowed to go over both Christian, and then Christian apologises for saying he was a nerd.

Then he can GTS TIffany and she never is seen on our screens again, so then she can go and "live life to the fullest"

"My initial thought was that it was mean-spirited and inappropriate, and I legitimately felt bad for James when she started crying."

_________________________________

I was crying, too, but only because I was laughing my #%* off. That was by far the funniest thing that the Divas have done in quite some time. By the way, although I have never seen Mickie James as the smoking hot woman that others in the internet wrestling community have, I don't think that she is fat.

Bottom line.....Micki James IS a DIVA!! and if you ain't down with that........

I hope the company is not really unhappy with her weight.
It be inappropriate because, as you say, Mickie is in no way overweight, and it might encourage excessive weight obsession in teenage girls.
I also happen to think that Mickie is very attractive and the fact that she is of the average build just makes her more attractive for me. Genuinely, I've seen her in the last few weeks and thought that she has the perfect figure, while some of the other girls are less attractive because they look unusually slim (almost skinny). I'm sure many of the other young male viewers would agree with me on that!!!

I think people need to relax over the Mickie James thing... it's an angle, like everything else is. I guarantee by the end of all of it, Mickie will come out on top and prove that you don't have to look like a stick to be successful in wrestling or anywhere else.

RE: MJ

Fat? Who? Leave her with me, I'd tadadadup.

If I were the WWE I'd make fun of McCools Hair Cut because she looks like she cuts it herself. The weight angle just sucks and it shows the WWE is out of fresh ideas.

The head of ceative at WWE should have nixwd that after she took a look at herself naked. Stephanie, have a heart!

The Mickie James stunt was awful, it was about as juvenile as you get and they have really gotten juvenile in WWE lately. I really do hope she was in on it, but WWE has a history of humiliating their performers just for a laugh. By the way, if she is fat, what does that make Natalya and Beth? When Mickie and Natalya had that match two weeks ago, frankly, they looked the same size, Natalya only slightly bigger in the shoulders. And as for Beth, size wise, she's the biggest girl there, not including Vickie. (More beer Kev?)

I feel bad for Mickie too, but at least she hasn't had to join the VKM KMA Club yet.

If WWE doesn't want Mickie, they can send her my way. I'd be happy to comfort her.

RESPONSE FROM KE: Get in line.

I'm not going as far as fat, but Mickie, Natalya, Molly, and certainly Vicky could trim down some.

RESPONSE FROM KE: I don't want to get too much into a debate as to who's overweight and who's not, but -- in my opinion -- Mickie, Natalya and Molly do not need to trim down. They all look athletic and healthy. They are deemed "overweight" by some because they are not as tall and thin as other divas who have bodies that the majority of women cannot attain. In the case of Natalya, I don't know how she could "trim down." Her stomach is flat. She can't help that she is bigger-boned than some of the others. Again, if you met her in real life, you'd never look at her and thin she wasn't in great shape. As for Vickie Guerrero, she is not an athlete. She looks like what she is -- a middle-aged woman who has had some kids and looks as if she never fully lost the baby weight.

Mickie James is as gorgeous as it gets, and yet this angle was effective, in my book-- McCool (even Jillian could have sung better than that) is the hateful "mean girl" picking on the beloved, scrappy and only incidentally super-hot real woman.

I was moved by Mickie's exit-- more specifically by the people in the crowd shouting "We love you Mickie" and "Don't listen to her, Mickie-- you're beautiful!" It's a solid angle with potential.

But then, I think Vickie Guerrero looks f***ing good a lot of the time, so what do I know? Something about a bossy, pushy woman of a certain age, in a suit... I dunno, man, I'm into it.

I am going back on strike. What they are doing to Mickie James is sickening. They don't tease Stephanie this way. It's awful.