Media reacts to Muhammad Hassan

[Cool King]

Several media sources, including the New York Post and Variety, have reacted to SmackDown! Superstar Muhammad Hassan’s recent on-air actions. Below are columns that have been posted by the New York Post and Variety. Hassan has promised to respond to the negative press right here on WWE.com. Check back here as more information becomes available.

New York Post Online Edition
'Terrorist' wrestles after bombing
By Don Kaplan

July 12, 2005 -- UPN's "Smackdown" aired what appeared to be terror-themed hijinks last Thursday — the same day as terrorist bombings in London killed more than 50 people.

The sketch was edited out of a U.K. edition of "Smackdown," which aired that same night.

The sketch included images of Arabs in ski masks carrying a fallen Arab wrestler over their heads after he had "sacrificed" himself, evoking imagery similar to a suicide bomber's funeral.

"We're very proud of our product," says "Smackdown" executive producer Kevin Dunn.

"We try and be sensitive with everything we portray, but there's got to be protagonists and antagonists on our TV shows.

"We just happen to reflect the politics of the world sometimes — especially with these Arab-American characters."

A WWE spokesman added that it was "unfortunate" that the sketch aired the same day as the attacks.

"If we had any idea that something like [the London attacks] might happen, obviously you wouldn't try to do that segment on that day," he said.

But the show was taped July 5 — two days before the telecast.

After the bombings took place last Thursday, WWE execs gave broadcasters carrying the show a heads-up about the sketch.

It was edited out in Europe, but aired on UPN here with a discretionary crawl along the bottom of the screen that said: "In light of today's tragic events in London, parental discretion is advised in viewing tonight's episode."

WWE's Dunn says, "We are firmly in the entertainment business," and that the plot, as edgy as it might have been, should be taken tongue-in-cheek.

On last Thursday's show, an Arab-American wrestler who fights under the stage name Daivari was beaten by The Undertaker.

After the bout, a second Arab wrestler, Hassan, knelt near the ring and prayed while five masked men attacked The Undertaker and choked him into unconsciousness.

All five then knelt into praying positions and Hassan lifted The Undertaker's head up for the camera in a scene that looked eerily like a beheading.

The group then left the ring carrying the unconscious Daivari over their heads.


VARIETY.COM
Inside Move: 'Smackdown' takes it on the chin
WWE, UPN under attack for offensive match
By Michael Schneider

World Wrestling Entertainment and UPN have heard from several concerned viewers following last Thursday's "WWE Smackdown," which depicted a terrorist-like attack involving a group of Arab-Americans and a wrestling opponent.

The episode aired the same day as the subway and bus bombings in London; UPN ran a crawl on its screen four times through the broadcast, noting that, "In light of today's tragic events in London, parental discretion is advised in viewing this episode."

That wasn't enough of a warning for some viewers, who took offense at the depiction of Arab-American wrestlers Daivari and Muhammad Hassan -- who was shown in the episode praying while five men wearing ski masks rushed the ring and choked the "good guy," longtime WWE wrestler the Undertaker.

WWE and UPN said they were unable to alter the episode, due to the tight timeframe between the show's taping earlier in the week and its Thursday night timeslot.

"We all feel bad about the timing of the segment," said WWE spokesman Gary Davis, who said the show wasn't attempting to depict a terrorist attack -- although he said he understood how some viewers might construe it as such. "People will see what happens this week (as the storyline) gets straightened out."

The Hassan character recently joined "Smackdown," moving over from Spike TV's "WWE Raw" show.

UPN spokeswoman Joanna Lowry said the network reserves the right to preempt "Smackdown" but didn't think it was necessary last Thursday.

"Due to the tragic events in London, we took the added measure of running an advisory four times throughout the broadcast so that viewers could make the appropriate viewing decision for their household," the network said in a statement. "We will continue to monitor the situation involving this character and storyline."

Source: http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/mediahassan

[Hired Hitman]

:nono:

[PureHatred]

I like how in both articles they bury the fact that the incident was taped two days prior and that this was really a terrible coincedence.

Also, weird use of the term "hijinks." :wtf:

[Jonster]

I like how in both articles they bury the fact that the incident was taped two days prior and that this was really a terrible coincedence.

Also, weird use of the term "hijinks." :wtf:
At least it was mentioned.

[Kane Knight]

Sad.

But hey, it's not like the WWE was kno0wn for taste before this.

[El Santo]

Oddly, the coincidence plays right into Vince's hands. He's no stranger for wanting to stir up press in the popular media. After a string of desperate attempts that the media met with apathy (Katie Vick, Zack Gowen, and probably the early Muhammad Hassan), Vince finally gets some folks riled up through no fault of his own.

[El Santo]

Ach, now the front page shows that UPN doesn't want Hassan to be on tonight's show due to the negative publicity. Argh. I really wanted to see this angle followed through. And with utmost media scrutiny.

Maybe he can issue an apology a la Raven after the crucifixion angle?

[M. Banana]

The sketch included images of Arabs in ski masks carrying a fallen Arab wrestler over their heads after he had "sacrificed" himself, evoking imagery similar to a suicide bomber's funeral.

Fucking bullshit. I highly, HIGHLY doubt they were Arabian. They were probably some other wrestler's the WWE just has laying around....

[Batsu]

Gay.

First of all, SmackDown was pre-taped.
They didn't know that on Tuesday, there would be a terror bombing in London.

Secondly, if anyone saw that crap, it wasn't like a bunch of nondescript Arab men came out and assaulted The Undertaker on some "terrorist" crap. It just looked like a typical heel mugging on WWE.

Thirdly, it's W-W-FUCKING-E. Was the media this gay about Slaughter "joining" Iraq all those years ago?

And finally...

if WWE pussifies the Hassan angle or their shows, ala the crap they did in reaction to the PTC trying to give them a virtual rimjob, then it'll be a sad affair.

[Batsu]

Sad.

But hey, it's not like the WWE was kno0wn for taste before this.

yep.

[Fox]

Gay.

First of all, SmackDown was pre-taped.
They didn't know that on Tuesday, there would be a terror bombing in London.



Maybe their linked. Maybe the WWE are in connection with terrorists. Maybe Vince McMahon is Osama Bin Laden!

WHERE IS THE PATRIOT ACT?!?!?!

[M. Banana]

Maybe their linked. Maybe the WWE are in connection with terrorists. Maybe Vince McMahon is Osama Bin Laden!

WHERE IS THE PATRIOT ACT?!?!?!

Triple H is Sadam, that's why he's been gone. They caught him again.

[loopydate]

Fucking bullshit. I highly, HIGHLY doubt they were Arabian. They were probably some other wrestler's the WWE just has laying around....Here are the "Arabs."

http://www.gerweck.net/shanetwins.jpg
http://www.gerweck.net/mikeknox.jpg
http://www.gerweck.net/seanmorley.jpg
I don't know who the fifth was.

[Savio]

Dave Youell

[M. Banana]

:lol:

[KingofOldSchool]

Matt Hardy.

[YOUR Hero]

Fucking bullshit. I highly, HIGHLY doubt they were Arabian. They were probably some other wrestler's the WWE just has laying around....

LOL, way to miss the point.

[Kane Knight]

Here are the "Arabs."http://www.gerweck.net/seanmorley.jpg
HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, ALLAH!

[Kane Knight]

LOL, way to miss the point.
Not to sound to macabre here, but anyone remember that first beheading tape? Remember how people were saying that they didn't look Arab?

If even the terrorists can't be arsed to look the part, why should "terrorists" in a hick industry?

[El Santo]

After reading the Smackdown spoilers on the front page, I am liking how Smackdown handled UPN's request. It doesn't kill Hassan's push, and UPN walks away happy. :)

[Lotus]

Maybe it was just me, but if I didn't read the SmackDown! spoilers last week posted here, I wouldn't have really thought about it as those guys being terrorists. I didn't think it came off that way at all. Yeah, ski masks and shit, but how could you tell those dudes were "terrorists"? I guess maybe the sacrifice talking and shit was a clue, but that's about it.

[Kane Knight]

Maybe it was just me, but if I didn't read the SmackDown! spoilers last week posted here, I wouldn't have really thought about it as those guys being terrorists. I didn't think it came off that way at all. Yeah, ski masks and shit, but how could you tell those dudes were "terrorists"? I guess maybe the sacrifice talking and shit was a clue, but that's about it.
If not for the warning I probably wouldn't have thought terrorist.

Hell, people talk about sacrifices in other sports. Or in the WWE. Remember that annoying Creed song?

On the other hand, the carrying off of Divari after the fact is reminiscent of scenes of martyred suicide bombers. Doesn't mean I would've made the connection had they not been warning, and had me in the mindset of "What the fuck could be related to the bombings? Oh, right...ALLAAAAAAAAAAAAY..."

Of course, I generally don't look for offense in wrestling. If I did, I'd spazz out almost weekly. The Mexicools, while funny, are horribly offensive, for example. Wrestlers are charicatures...Exaggerations of stereotypes.

But back to my point. Remember the whole backmasking thing? While backmasking is a big waste of time, it does indicate that people predisposed to hear something will hear it. More people will find offense when actively looking for it.

This is pushing it, but it's still in keeping with the WWE's standards of quality. Where we fuck corpses, capitolise on terrorist attacks in the US, have the French (Sorta) attack our troops, feed people dogs, play U-Haul with the corpse of a wretler's dad...

...Please, tell me if I'm missing any major ones. This one wasn't even INTENTIONALLY cashing in (Like the Muhammed character). Not directly anyway.

I'm not a fan of what they did, but I'm not surprised. And barring severe learning diabilities or having watched wrestling for less than six months, none of you should be either.

[ddpBANG]

Chop chop the wee wee

[PullMyFinger]

dont forget a young black guy banging a 80 yr old and having a kid that turned out to be a rubber chicken!

oh yeah and lets not forget venis being circumsized on tv (wasnt that the jap clan?)

big show called the japs gooks once, I believe

getting oral from a tranny...dont forget that! remember when chyna tricked mark? LOL

re-creating the black panthers through a group called the nation of domination

etc etc

[ddpBANG]

dont forget a young black guy banging a 80 yr old and having a kid that turned out to be a rubber chicken! - It was a rubber hand.

oh yeah and lets not forget venis being circumsized on tv (wasnt that the jap clan?) - I already mentioned this one.

big show called the japs gooks once, I believe - He called them "goofs."

getting oral from a tranny...dont forget that! remember when chyna tricked mark? LOL - He didn't get oral. Bill Clinton did.

re-creating the black panthers through a group called the nation of domination - This is correct.



And I believe that "Jap clan" prefers to be called Kaientai. They did have a guy named Dick in the group though.

[LK]

Am I the only one who doesn't know how the WWE are at fault in this whole scenario. Surely if there is anyone taking blame for this it should be UPN. It was a pre taped show. They knew what they would be showing and decided to go along with it despite knowing what happened in London. Anyway it's all gay. It's a TV show telling a bloody story.

[Disturbed316]

It's WWE's fault in the first place for doing such a stupid thing anyway. Yeah, it was poorly timed, if it happened weeks before what happened in London, the media wouldn't have noticed. But because of the timing, they did. I still think WWE shouldn't have done it in the first place though. They should know better, even if they are going for more edgy tv.

[Cool King]

Here are the "Arabs."

http://www.gerweck.net/shanetwins.jpg
http://www.gerweck.net/mikeknox.jpg
http://www.gerweck.net/seanmorley.jpg
I don't know who the fifth was.

How do you know that, Loopy?:-\

[Disturbed316]

All bald men are evil, so it's got to be them.

[Kane Knight]

How do you know that, Loopy?:-\
Considering it was reported on all the sites...

[Marcyo]

<------ speechless

[Cool King]

Considering it was reported on all the sites...

Oh OK:)

[Corkscrewed]

several concerned viewers
LOL... I like that wording. I can imagine like... three really upset viewers marching on the office, then being turned away because there's only three of them.

[Londoner]

Well i think Vince is proud of this character Hassan has, it's certainly achieved publicity, which was obviously the main target.How typical of the media to fall into such a trap, i can't believe they aren't even going to show that thing between hassan/undertaker on smackdown here in the UK now, so us WWE fans here in the UK wont even see it. So basically, i'm rather pissed off with the media on this, i couldn't careless if it's showing Hassan and his friends as terroists or not, the bottom line is it's a fucking story, and the more realism in stories the better.

And just to add to this, i come from London, so this paranoia that WWE will lose some of its fans here because of it is total bullshit.

[Kane Knight]

I'd say the reaction Hassan had was valid.

[Shadow]

Well i think Vince is proud of this character Hassan has, it's certainly achieved publicity, which was obviously the main target.How typical of the media to fall into such a trap, i can't believe they aren't even going to show that thing between hassan/undertaker on smackdown here in the UK now, so us WWE fans here in the UK wont even see it. So basically, i'm rather pissed off with the media on this, i couldn't careless if it's showing Hassan and his friends as terroists or not, the bottom line is it's a fucking story, and the more realism in stories the better.

And just to add to this, i come from London, so this paranoia that WWE will lose some of its fans here because of it is total bullshit.

It's not so much the WWE is parinoid...it's the channel that shows Smackdown that's parinoid. Stupid Pro-PC world we live in. Bet if this was 1995, no one would care.

[TerranRich]

*paranoid

Also...

VAL VENIS IS AN AY-RAB!!! WOT!!!?? U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!! ad nauseam...

[Kane Knight]

It's not so much the WWE is parinoid...it's the channel that shows Smackdown that's parinoid. Stupid Pro-PC world we live in. Bet if this was 1995, no one would care.
It's funny how people try to turn courtesy (You SHOULD be respectful) into policy (you MUST be respectful).

[PullMyFinger]

imo, the media is playing right into vinnie mac's hands.

[M. Banana]

Vince McMahon probably had a jolly good wank over this.

[M. Banana]

lol, jolly good

[Kane Knight]

So you're trying to be Triple A "funny" these days, are you?

[Dave Youell]

Dave Youell
You can't prove shit ok?


:shifty:

[darkpower]

This appeared in the Post-Gazette's "Weekend Mag" insert yesterday thatr really caught my eye iof how dumb and stupid people are:


Wrestling With Terror

The "terrorism story line" on the July 7 episode of WWE Smackdown on UPN was the most disgusting and tasteless thing I have ever seen in any form of "entertainment." To film such a segment was utterly tasteless under any circumstances. ... For WWE and UPN to make the decision to still the air the segment even after the terrorist attacks took place in London makes it all the more tasteless and classless.


It is one thing for World Wrestling Entertainment to have Arab-American characters (named Hassan and Daivari) who are presented as people we should all hate, with no Arab-American "good guys" to counteract them for the sake of balance. That is bad enough, and has been going on for months and months. (Topped off by the WWE's No. 1 "good guy" Stone Cold Steve Austin, recently saying in a line that was scripted by the WWE creative team, "I see sand people!" while looking at Hassan and Daivari.)

However, WWE has now crossed an entirely different line. I feel it is immoral and indecent for WWE to film a story line in which the "bad guys" (Hassan and Daivari) get their revenge on the "good guy" (long-time WWE wrestler The Undertaker) by basically having a simulated Islamic Jihadist terrorist attack, and to choose to air the segment rather than editing it off their show on the SAME DAY as real terrorists killed real people in London. I will no longer be watching WWE programming, nor will I be allowing my three children to watch WWE programming.

If you didn't see it, what happened was that Daivari had a one-on-one match with the "good guy," The Undertaker. Daivari was nervous about the match beforehand, but Hassan convinced him that he needed "to make a sacrifice for the greater good of our mission." Daivari ultimately lost the match in a one-sided manner. Daivari was left supposedly "unconscious" and laid out by The Undertaker. However, instead of being upset with this, Hassan stood at ringside calmly and looked happy and even had a smile on his face. He then knelt down and did a brief "prayer," at which point five men entered the ring who were wearing the same exact kind of black ski masks that you see terrorists wearing in beheading videos. The five men attacked The Undertaker and choked him unconscious with a cable wire.

As Daivari still lay on the mat unconscious from the beating he had been given by The Undertaker, Hassan entered the ring. As the five masked men, who were essentially being presented as "terrorists" or "jihadists," all dropped to their knees in a praying position, Hassan applied a pro wrestling move to The Undertaker and lifted his head and shoulders off the mat to show the camera his face. Of course, his head was still attached to his body, which is the difference between this and real terrorism.

What I found most offensive was the glorification of the "sacrifice" by these two self-described "normal Arab-Americans" in Hassan and Daivari. After all this was over and The Undertaker was left in the ring supposedly unconscious, the five masked "terrorist" men lifted up Daivari, who was still supposedly unconscious from losing his match to the Undertaker, and they carried Daivari over their heads as you often see people carrying the caskets of suicide bombers over their heads.

This episode of Smackdown was filmed July 4 and aired on July 7. It would be extremely tasteless and crass to film a storyline like this at any time under any circumstances. But they had over 24 hours from the time that London was attacked by terrorists to the time that WWE Smackdown hit the airwaves on the East Coast at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

I believe in freedom of speech, but this kind of hate speech has no place on television, especially on network television at 9:05 PM. WWE and UPN should be ashamed for allowing this to air, and the media should take them to task for their actions.

Terrence Johnson
Frederick, Md.


First off, how in the hell did were they supposed to do anything about it within that small of a time frame. If the incident happened at 8 AM EST on Wednesday, I could understand. Most of us only got word of it when we woke up Thursday morning, however, the day that SmackDown was supposed to air. Imagine how painful it would have been to need to do such a thing. What else could they have done to not show it. Of course, the UK had a much better window of editing time, so they could do such a thing. And they have to promote the match that Taker and Hassan have at the Bash in SOME way on the show, and how are they supposed to heighten the feud if they don't even do anything with it that week. It would've not done anythign worthwhile, even if the WWE did something a week later.

Bringing me to what the guy didn't say. First thing is first, the fact that the UK version DID have the said angle edited out. Why didn't he mention that, when he has firm knowledge of the WWE, for one? Secondly, didn't he read those crawls that were going across the screen? If so, he never made one mention that such a crawl even appeared, much less made a difference in what he was seeing.

And what was this about him and his three children (this guy has three children with how idiotic he is?) not going to be watching WWE programming again? Hasn't he not been made aware about the countless OTHER angles in which the WWE was pushing it? Katie Vick, HLA, Billy & Chuck, Mae Young giving birth to a hand, the presence of Austin the past 7 years or so, Al Wilson? What about them? He's acting like the WWE never did anything tasteless before, yet it sounds like he's been watching for some time. You mean to tell me that he still allowed the WWE to come into his home after someone fucking a corpse, but disallowes a mugging by people who MIGHT look like terrorists and wasn't half as offensive as Katie Vick or HLA? He not going to allow his kids to see things like Hassan, yet will be just happy with the fucking of a corpse for his kids to watch and admire? Please tell me how that is not insane?

And this guy lives in Maryland, yet is writing to a PITTSBURGH paper about this? What happened to all the newspapers in "Md."?

Even if this is just a ploy to get media attention, it seems that they also bring the idiots out to bitch and whine if they don't get it their way. I guess this guy is a firm example of that.

[Zen v.W.o.]

In a way though, Hassan and Davairi are just lame characters right now. I could care less about the media gripes against them both, but what the wwe wanted from them were to be sympathetic characters. This mock sacrifice totally goes against everything they want the american people to view them as. This is so cheap. They fucked them over by the very begining basically.

[Kane Knight]

Which part was the terrorism, anyway?

[Just John]

It's funny how people try to turn courtesy (You SHOULD be respectful) into policy (you MUST be respectful).

Man that is so true...


~silence~

[Kane Knight]

In a way though, Hassan and Davairi are just lame characters right now. I could care less about the media gripes against them both, but what the wwe wanted from them were to be sympathetic characters. This mock sacrifice totally goes against everything they want the american people to view them as. This is so cheap. They fucked them over by the very begining basically.
The only reason he doesn't have sympathy is because nobody wants to stop and think.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

[DaveWadding]

WWE Says Timing of Arab Terrorist Ring Attack Was "Terrible"
A spokesman for World Wrestling Entertainment has acknowledged that airing a match featuring a supposed Arab-American wrestler named Muhammad Hassan (http://imdb.com/name/nm1753538/) on the day of the London subway and bus bombings was "terrible." Gary Davis told Advertising Age that the WWE has received hundreds of complaints, despite a warning crawl that it aired during the broadcast that some people might find the material offensive. In the match, Hassan and his cohorts were seen entering the ring and beating up a popular wrestler called the Undertaker. Davis said, however, that Hassan is actually an angry, disillusioned Arab-American embracing his roots after experiencing racism following the 9/11 attacks. AdAge disclosed that Hassan's real name is Mark Copani and that he is Italian-American.

From: imdb

[Blanka]

Hassan applied a pro wrestling move to The Undertaker and lifted his head and shoulders off the mat to show the camera his face. Of course, his head was still attached to his body, which is the difference between this and real terrorism.


Wait, so the terrorists applied a camel clutch to the guy they beheaded? And they let him live? :?:

[Cool King]

AdAge disclosed that Hassan's real name is Mark Copani and that he is Italian-American.

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]I thought his name was Mark Mangus?

[Cool King]

AdAge disclosed that Hassan's real name is Mark Copani and that he is Italian-American.

I thought his name was Mark Mangus?

[TerranRich]

It is. They're idiots.

[Corkscrewed]

LOL. Is he Italian tho? Just wondering.