Bischoff Calls Matt Hardy A ‘Friggin’ Goof’, Rikishi’s Sons, Hornswoggle

Partial Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter

» Eric Bischoff currently has a new blog entry up, here are some of the highlights: On Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Wrestling Season 2: We are working on some format tweaks for season 2 of CCW and hope to have an announcement soon. On Matt Hardy’s Review of The Wrestler: Matt, you are a friggin goof. Lets set aside the fact that your brother is walking a “three strikes and you’re out” tight rope as a result of his drug abuse, and if internet “news” was accurate, suffered the loss of his home and property due to a fire because he was too irresponsible to insure it. Your recent recap of your “lifestyle” frames you as a candidate to the Jake Roberts Hall of Fame. Your suggestion that you and your generation are “smarter and more responsible” than previous generations of wrestlers makes me sick. You are a mid-card talent that should be grateful to even get a check every other week. Enjoy it while it lasts. And rather than looking down your nose at previous generations of professional wrestlers, donate a portion of your check to one of them and ask them to point out all the parallels between your current career path/lifestyle and theirs. It would be the smartest and most responsible thing you could do. On Darren Aronofsky’s Discussion of Wrestlers in the SAG: When our company produced CCW, it was an AFTRA production. As a result we had to pay “fringes” (fees that go into insurance and benefits packages) that significantly increased the cost of production. I am not going to spend the time to calculate what the financial impact to WWE would be if WWE was forced (which is the only way it would ever happen) to become a SAG or AFTRA show, but suffice to say the number would be staggering to WWE. Combine that with union rules regarding overtime, residuals, and things like mandatory meal breaks, and it’s easy to see why Vince McMahon would fight this move until his last breath. It’ an interesting situation to watch however, because I am not sure how long WWE will continue to be able to dodge the union bullet. The arenas WWE produces their events in are generally union “houses”. The local crews that are hired to set up staging etc., are union members (usually). Which means that for the most part, everyone associated with the staging of a WWE event are either employees of WWE, the arena, or members of a union. Everyone except the talent. The other thing that is going to be interesting to watch is the independent contractor/employee lawsuit. I have gone on record as saying that Scott Levy and company are desperately looking for some kind of a pay day, and I have zero respect for someone who knowingly goes into an agreement fully aware of its terms and then comes back and cries foul. It wreaks “loser”. That said, the implications of this lawsuit are beyond frightening. Should the government, as a result of this suit, determine that WWE wrestlers are employees, the fines and back taxes that WWE could be held liable for are astronomical. There is no statute of limitations on these taxes and in the case of a public company, the Chairman can be held personally responsible. As I stated in a recent blog on this subject, this potential exposure was a major concern for the finance execs at AOL/Time Warner. How ironic would it be that three guys who had no real impact on the industry while they were in it, could have a devastating impact on it years after they could no longer find work in it?

» The WWE site has a poll asking fans to vote for which Hornswoggle T-shirt they like best.

» Ricky Reyes will be moving to Puerto Rico this month. He will be working full-time for WWC.

» Jonathan and Joshua Fatu, the sons of Rikishi and nephews of Umaga, are currently working under the name The Samoan Soldiers on the Georgia Independent scene.

» Lord Littlebrook, one of the most famous of all the US midget wrestlers, is currently bedridden and suffering from Alzheimer’s at the age of 80.

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