Glenn Beck has received an invitation from the WWE to appear on the Monday Night Raw pro wrestling broadcast after he criticized a new storyline.
Beck (see below) has registered strong opposition to the new WWE Jack Swagger character, who is portrayed as an over-the-top “Tea Party” racist nutcase of some kind.
The WWE was also blasted on social media for stereotyping those with a right-of-center political philosophy with the addition of the fictional Jack Swagger heel wrestler persona to the wrestling lineup.
In the meantime, the wrestler who portrays Jack Swagger was busted for DUI and has pulled from WWE shows for the time being.
WWE apparently heard the fans and wants Beck to come on Monday Night Raw . The organization’s press release read in part:
“WWE has extended an invitation to talk show host and political commentator, Glenn Beck to appear live this Monday on Raw , in response to a segment that aired on TheBlaze TV yesterday. In the segment, Beck references WWE as ‘stupid wrestling people,’ when criticizing a recent WWE storyline involving WWE characters Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio®, Jack Swagger® and Zeb Colter®. WWE is giving Beck the opportunity to address our 14 million weekly viewers and our global fan base, as he believes we are offending our ‘conservative’ fans with this storyline.”
The company added that with its fictional characters, “WWE is creating a rivalry centered on a topical subject that has varying points of view.” Jack Swagger is currently on the Wrestlemania 29 card with a bout scheduled against Del Rio for the WWE heavyweight belt.
WWE is owned by the McMahon family, and Linda McMahon ran for US Senate twice from Connecticut as a Republican.
As Beck’s The Blaze points out,
“The entire [Jack Swagger] scenario leaves many wondering why the WWE would choose to create such a character. The WWE is typically thought of as having a greater viewership on the right than the left, though that’s not backed up by any statistics, and the family that started the network has a longstanding connection to the Republican Party.”
Should Glenn Beck accept the invitation to Monday Night Raw ?
Do you think people should be offended by the WWE Jack Swagger character that appears to demonize the Tea Party or should it just be considered another one of many WWE just-for-fun caricatures?
