Big Vic
04-26-2023, 02:27 PM
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Former WWE writer Britney Abrahams is suing the company and individual staff, alleging "discriminatory treatment, harassment, hostile work environment, wrongful termination, unlawful retaliation against the Plaintiff due to her race, color, and gender"<a href="https://t.co/K5kWxyrea4">https://t.co/K5kWxyrea4</a> <a href="https://t.co/gVAJg0i1FE">pic.twitter.com/gVAJg0i1FE</a></p>— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonThurston/status/1651253724113772550?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
By way of example, according to the script, DUNN intended Ms. Belair, the said black female
WWE wrestler, to say, “Uh-Uh! Don't make me take off my earrings and beat your
ass!” which are lines based upon cruel, ugly stereotypes of dark-skinned, black women.
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.”
Following Plaintiff’s complaint, Defendants increased the intensity of their discriminatory
misconduct, including deliberately subjecting Plaintiff to a number of racist pitches.
By way of example, it was discussed in the WWE writer’s Slack channel before a show, that a new
wrestler, Reggie, would dress in drag complete with wig and tights, “so he could partner with
Carmella, a female wrestler, in a tag-team match against other female wrestlers.”
By way of another example, WWE forced wrestler Apollo Crews to speak with a Nigerian accent,
just because of his Nigerian lineage. Apollo Crews is a black, Nigerian-born male.
Plaintiff emailed CALLAHAN and complained about the offensive nature of the requirement for
Apollo Crews to speak with a stereotypical and exaggerated Nigerian accent.
However, despite Plaintiff’s complaint, CALLAHAN failed and/or refused to take corrective
action.
As a result, CALLAHAN and WWE forced Plaintiff to require Apollo Crews to speak with a
racially artificial Nigerian accent.
By way of another example, in or around the spring of 2021 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.
Plaintiff found CALLAHAN’s pitch highly offensive and objectionable.
Plaintiff again objected to her superior’s racially motivated misconduct, specifically stating that a
gimmick where a white man hunting a black African American man for sport is racist.
CALLAHAN laughed and sarcastically responded, “OH, WHAT? IS THAT A BAD THING?”
CALLAHAN’s comments and conduct had the purpose and effect of humiliating and intimidating
Plaintiff, and dramatically altered her work environment for the worse.
As the WWE writing team’s sole person of color, Plaintiff was devastated that none of her white,
Caucasian co-workers stepped in to complain about this discriminatory and offensive pitch.
Afterwards, Plaintiff spoke with Mr. Parise, a white, Caucasian WWE writer, who revealed that
he agreed with Plaintiff that the pitch was racist, but he felt too nervous to speak up about it in front
of CALLAHAN.
She was apparently fired after taking a WrestleMania 2022 Chair home from the event after other employees also took chairs.
By way of example, according to the script, DUNN intended Ms. Belair, the said black female
WWE wrestler, to say, “Uh-Uh! Don't make me take off my earrings and beat your
ass!” which are lines based upon cruel, ugly stereotypes of dark-skinned, black women.
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.”
Following Plaintiff’s complaint, Defendants increased the intensity of their discriminatory
misconduct, including deliberately subjecting Plaintiff to a number of racist pitches.
By way of example, it was discussed in the WWE writer’s Slack channel before a show, that a new
wrestler, Reggie, would dress in drag complete with wig and tights, “so he could partner with
Carmella, a female wrestler, in a tag-team match against other female wrestlers.”
By way of another example, WWE forced wrestler Apollo Crews to speak with a Nigerian accent,
just because of his Nigerian lineage. Apollo Crews is a black, Nigerian-born male.
Plaintiff emailed CALLAHAN and complained about the offensive nature of the requirement for
Apollo Crews to speak with a stereotypical and exaggerated Nigerian accent.
However, despite Plaintiff’s complaint, CALLAHAN failed and/or refused to take corrective
action.
As a result, CALLAHAN and WWE forced Plaintiff to require Apollo Crews to speak with a
racially artificial Nigerian accent.
By way of another example, in or around the spring of 2021 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.
Plaintiff found CALLAHAN’s pitch highly offensive and objectionable.
Plaintiff again objected to her superior’s racially motivated misconduct, specifically stating that a
gimmick where a white man hunting a black African American man for sport is racist.
CALLAHAN laughed and sarcastically responded, “OH, WHAT? IS THAT A BAD THING?”
CALLAHAN’s comments and conduct had the purpose and effect of humiliating and intimidating
Plaintiff, and dramatically altered her work environment for the worse.
As the WWE writing team’s sole person of color, Plaintiff was devastated that none of her white,
Caucasian co-workers stepped in to complain about this discriminatory and offensive pitch.
Afterwards, Plaintiff spoke with Mr. Parise, a white, Caucasian WWE writer, who revealed that
he agreed with Plaintiff that the pitch was racist, but he felt too nervous to speak up about it in front
of CALLAHAN.
She was apparently fired after taking a WrestleMania 2022 Chair home from the event after other employees also took chairs.