Wrestle Ops took to Twitter and reported the following:
Lawsuit also states more daunting details: Around spring of 2021 Ryan Callahan pitched that a white Caucasian male wrestler with a “hunting” gimmick would hunt a black, male wrestler for fun. In a nutshell, the said hunting gimmick pitch for new wrestlers, Shane Thorne and Reggie was, “since Shane is Australian, we should make him a crocodile hunter, and instead of crocodiles, he hunts people.” Subsequently, a storyline was pitched by Callahan where Shane would capture Reggie and constantly beat him up, but Reggie would always escape after being captured. Holding Reggie captive in cages was also discussed.
Lawsuit also states more daunting details:
Around spring of 2021 Ryan Callahan pitched that a white Caucasian male wrestler with a “hunting” gimmick would hunt a black, male wrestler for fun.
In a nutshell, the said hunting gimmick pitch for new wrestlers, Shane Thorne and… pic.twitter.com/EccF3vXkee
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) April 26, 2023
WWE has been embroiled in controversy as several former employees have raised concerns about the company’s practices. One of these employees, Britney Abrahams, who worked as a writer for the WWE, has filed a lawsuit against the company for its alleged racist portrayal of characters in their television storylines. Specifically, Abrahams has cited a scene involving Bianca Belair.
In the scene, Belair’s character, was scripted to say, “Uh-Uh! Don’t make me take off my earrings and beat your ass!” However, Belair was unhappy with the line and made several attempts to have it changed. She felt that the script made her character come across as “ghetto.”
Despite Belair’s objections, the script remained unchanged until Abrahams intervened. Abrahams offered to edit the line, but it was not enough to solve the underlying problem. The lawsuit alleges that the company practices racism and promotes it through its storylines.
Abrahams and Belair’s experiences highlight a larger issue of systemic racism within the WWE. While the company has made efforts to address diversity and inclusion, the lawsuit underscores the need for continued reform in the industry. It also serves as a reminder of the power dynamics at play in entertainment and the importance of amplifying marginalized voices.
Plaintiff also requested clarification for protocol on moving forward with her complaint.
In conversation with Ms. Belair the following day, Ms. Belair informed Plaintiff that she told DUNN “3 DIFFERENT TIMES THAT I DON’T WANT TO SAY THAT LINE! BUT HE NEVER LISTENS TO ME! HE PUTS THAT LINE IN EVERY WEEK.”
Ms. Belair said the script’s discriminatory line(s) made her look “ghetto.”
Plaintiff relayed this information to DUNN and politely offered to edit the line(s).
