WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long recently revealed details about Vince McMahon’s role in the development of a controversial racism storyline on WWE programming.
On January 5, 2004, during an episode of RAW, Long made a promo statement claiming that every white man from New York to Memphis was racist. This sparked a reaction from WWE commentator Jerry Lawler, who stood up from the announce desk to defend his hometown of Memphis. In response, Long, as a heel, declared himself “the new King of Memphis” and told Lawler to bow down.
During an episode of Sportskeeda’s “The Wrestling Time Machine,” Long discussed Lawler’s WWE contract status and recalled Vince McMahon’s involvement in that memorable RAW segment. Long shared the following with reporter Bill Apter and host Mac Davis:
“That thing, all I talked about was how the white men kept me down and he held me back. So, we got ready to go to Memphis, and I had this promo that Vince had written. I read it at first, and I just started laughing. I went on out and started that promo, and I looked over at Jerry Lawler and I said to him, ‘Yeah, I know all these people here in Memphis, they look up to you. They think you’re a King. But to me, Jerry Lawler, you’re just another cracker with a crown.'”
