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**TheJShow** · 04-06-2004, 12:26 PM

Dogg: Dinsmore is anything but funny

TSN.ca Staff

4/6/2004

As a wrestling fan, I have had more than my share of raised eyebrows thrown at me when World Wrestling Entertainment decides to push the envelope. A lot of my friends, co-workers and colleagues watch RAW with me from time to time and wonder aloud why I watch 'this crap.'

It's fun entertainment, I would tell them. It's more than just two men or women in tights. It's about trying to tell a story and making it sell like any other television program.

But there are times when WWE puts out something so offensive, I have a very hard time explaining it to myself, let alone curious mainstream viewers. Mae Young giving birth to a hand, getting put through a table and taking her top off at a pay-per-view was certainly difficult to swallow, as well as that horrendous Katie Vick angle between Triple H and Kane we saw two years ago.

But on Monday, World Wrestling Entertainment hit an all-time creative low that I couldn't even explain to my shocked and sickened wife. As we all saw, William Regal was back on RAW (which was actually nice to see) and wanted to get back to work. RAW GM Eric Bischoff promised he would put him back on the roster if he would do him one favour - manage his nephew, Eugene Dinsmore.

Great, I thought! This was the chance to check out this new Nick Dinsmore character that Brian Garside was raving about! But in my 20 years of watching wrestling I have seen some pretty eye-opening, jaw-dropping stuff, I was not prepared to see what was coming up next.

The character of Eugene Dinsmore was developmentally challenged.

The segment on TV which saw Dinsmore do the Bushwacker dance and lick Jerry Lawler was so tasteless and unfunny I couldn't even bear to look at the television screen.

Forget that stupid sugar-coated garbage Bischoff said about his nephew being 'special.' We are not that stupid. To my utter shock and disgust, some writer in the back actually thought it would be funny to promote a developmentally challenged wrestler. Isn't it ironic that this is coming from a company that once expressed anger and outrage when Vince Russo introduced WCW's Oklahoma - a Jim Ross-inspired character who twisted his mouth mocking Ross's real life battle with Bell's Palsy?

As wrestling fans, we pay good money to go to live events and interact with the stars. In return, the stars give us every opportunity to cheer or boo them. The heroes we like tend to come out, give fans high-fives and go for cheap pops by mentioning the city they are in. The heels will look for anything to get a negative buzz. They'll knock on how ugly the men and women are in the audience or call us fat, lazy, cowards. Thats fine by us. We usually respond appropriately.

But what we saw on Monday night was something different. Dinsmore's character was an unfair carricature that made a complete mockery of people in this world who are trying hard every day to live their lives. They have substantial limitations in self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living and economic self-sufficiency. I do not envy the obstacles that developmentally challenged people have to go through and have nothing but respect for the fact that they are trying so hard to live their lives just like everyone else should.

What we saw on Monday night wasn't entertainment or comedy. It was an unprovoked attack by WWE on people who, more often than not, do not have a voice to stand up for themselves.

What makes this even more heart-breaking is the fact that the very group of people that Dinsmore's character was belittling make up a very important part of WWE's fan base.

When I'm out with Garside or Double A doing an interview with a WWE Superstar, it's usually at an autograph signing or special appearance. And there's nothing that makes me happier on these trips than seeing these fans get to meet their favourite stars. These aren't the fans who sit back like wise-cracking, ego-driven smart marks with the latest creative suggestions (myself included) for WWE. These are fans that really love and appreciate everything they see. They don't judge wrestlers on trivial things like mic abilities or work rate. They truly idolize these men and women as their heroes.

And the Dinsmore gimmick was a total slap in their faces.

Now I'm sure there are some of you out there who thought Eugene Dinsmore was hilarious and that I'm taking this way too seriously with some holier-than-thou approach. That's fine, because as a WWE fan, you are entitled to like or dislike whatever you see.

But if that's the case, let me make just one simple request - take a really good look at the other side of the story.

The next time you go to a WWE event - whether it be a live show or a meet-and-greet - take a quick peek to see if these wonderful fans are in attendance. Look at the sheer joy in their faces when they get to see their real-live superheroes in action. Better yet, click on to our Special Olympics page here at TSN.ca and see just a few of the many great and awe-inspiring things that people with mental disabilities are truly capable of.

So how funny is Eugene Dinsmore now? Not funny enough for me to keep watching him.

For TSN.ca/wrestling, I'm Kelvin Chow.

04-06-2004, 12:26 PM	#22
TheJShow Jays Posts: 1,339	Dogg: Dinsmore is anything but funny TSN.ca Staff 4/6/2004 As a wrestling fan, I have had more than my share of raised eyebrows thrown at me when World Wrestling Entertainment decides to push the envelope. A lot of my friends, co-workers and colleagues watch RAW with me from time to time and wonder aloud why I watch 'this crap.' It's fun entertainment, I would tell them. It's more than just two men or women in tights. It's about trying to tell a story and making it sell like any other television program. But there are times when WWE puts out something so offensive, I have a very hard time explaining it to myself, let alone curious mainstream viewers. Mae Young giving birth to a hand, getting put through a table and taking her top off at a pay-per-view was certainly difficult to swallow, as well as that horrendous Katie Vick angle between Triple H and Kane we saw two years ago. But on Monday, World Wrestling Entertainment hit an all-time creative low that I couldn't even explain to my shocked and sickened wife. As we all saw, William Regal was back on RAW (which was actually nice to see) and wanted to get back to work. RAW GM Eric Bischoff promised he would put him back on the roster if he would do him one favour - manage his nephew, Eugene Dinsmore. Great, I thought! This was the chance to check out this new Nick Dinsmore character that Brian Garside was raving about! But in my 20 years of watching wrestling I have seen some pretty eye-opening, jaw-dropping stuff, I was not prepared to see what was coming up next. The character of Eugene Dinsmore was developmentally challenged. The segment on TV which saw Dinsmore do the Bushwacker dance and lick Jerry Lawler was so tasteless and unfunny I couldn't even bear to look at the television screen. Forget that stupid sugar-coated garbage Bischoff said about his nephew being 'special.' We are not that stupid. To my utter shock and disgust, some writer in the back actually thought it would be funny to promote a developmentally challenged wrestler. Isn't it ironic that this is coming from a company that once expressed anger and outrage when Vince Russo introduced WCW's Oklahoma - a Jim Ross-inspired character who twisted his mouth mocking Ross's real life battle with Bell's Palsy? As wrestling fans, we pay good money to go to live events and interact with the stars. In return, the stars give us every opportunity to cheer or boo them. The heroes we like tend to come out, give fans high-fives and go for cheap pops by mentioning the city they are in. The heels will look for anything to get a negative buzz. They'll knock on how ugly the men and women are in the audience or call us fat, lazy, cowards. Thats fine by us. We usually respond appropriately. But what we saw on Monday night was something different. Dinsmore's character was an unfair carricature that made a complete mockery of people in this world who are trying hard every day to live their lives. They have substantial limitations in self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living and economic self-sufficiency. I do not envy the obstacles that developmentally challenged people have to go through and have nothing but respect for the fact that they are trying so hard to live their lives just like everyone else should. What we saw on Monday night wasn't entertainment or comedy. It was an unprovoked attack by WWE on people who, more often than not, do not have a voice to stand up for themselves. What makes this even more heart-breaking is the fact that the very group of people that Dinsmore's character was belittling make up a very important part of WWE's fan base. When I'm out with Garside or Double A doing an interview with a WWE Superstar, it's usually at an autograph signing or special appearance. And there's nothing that makes me happier on these trips than seeing these fans get to meet their favourite stars. These aren't the fans who sit back like wise-cracking, ego-driven smart marks with the latest creative suggestions (myself included) for WWE. These are fans that really love and appreciate everything they see. They don't judge wrestlers on trivial things like mic abilities or work rate. They truly idolize these men and women as their heroes. And the Dinsmore gimmick was a total slap in their faces. Now I'm sure there are some of you out there who thought Eugene Dinsmore was hilarious and that I'm taking this way too seriously with some holier-than-thou approach. That's fine, because as a WWE fan, you are entitled to like or dislike whatever you see. But if that's the case, let me make just one simple request - take a really good look at the other side of the story. The next time you go to a WWE event - whether it be a live show or a meet-and-greet - take a quick peek to see if these wonderful fans are in attendance. Look at the sheer joy in their faces when they get to see their real-live superheroes in action. Better yet, click on to our Special Olympics page here at TSN.ca and see just a few of the many great and awe-inspiring things that people with mental disabilities are truly capable of. So how funny is Eugene Dinsmore now? Not funny enough for me to keep watching him. For TSN.ca/wrestling, I'm Kelvin Chow.