Reaction internally to controversial Carlito line on WWE Raw

Hey Marc. Guess what? It can be both.

Fightful Select

Kevin Ku is "soft?"

Fightful Select

Thats fair. Good chat. We disagree respectfully, what a concept . Have a good night.

Troy A Palek

Indeed.

Daniel Schein

I think, at this point, it is clear we are not going to agree. I think given HHH's comments about how he doesn't see color when talking about black wrestlers leaving a bad taste in everyone's mouths, the recent news about the racist and sexist culture that was occurring in the writer's room, and now this incident, something more substantial than a fine is warranted. If TKO and WWE are serious about changing the culture, a message of not tolerating this has to be sent and I personally don't think a fine or a short suspension is going to signal a culture change.

Forceofwilliam

No, cuz my company's history has nothing to do with my stores. If that person had such a history then you fire them immediately . Blanket firing is rarely the answer, and if it was the actual right answer then you start at (or at least better include) the management level

Troy A Palek

I think much of this is an internet thing. Your average joe sitting on his couch isn't flipping his lid over a goofy line from a boneheaded henchman character. Also, accepted/unaccepted by who? Nobody gets to decide what that is for the rest of the fanbase. If you try and make art that's inoffensive to anybody you get a bland product that's appealing to nobody. Again not dying on the hill for this goofy line from a comedy character, but I think Triple H and TKO need to start standing their ground and not cave to every negative reaction.

Daniel Schein

I wouldn't say he is soft. Delusional... sure. Misguided... Definitely. Not entirely sure what you were trying to accomplish by accusing at least 3 different commenters of being "soft" but have at it if it makes you feel better I suppose

Troy A Palek

Okay, what if your company had a known history of racist employees and you are trying to change the culture and image of the company and this employee made racist comments. After being seen as weak on matters of racism in the past, you wouldn't fire them? Because that's what WWE is facing right now.

Forceofwilliam

I'd address it immediately . What i wouldn't do is fire them immediately, which is what you said to start this thread.

Troy A Palek

If you don't see a problem with what was said, you're a racist piece of shit and horrible human being. I will take being soft over either one of those.

Forceofwilliam

Soft ass people lmao.

Collin Ingram

No he won’t

Collin Ingram

You are soft

Collin Ingram

I didn’t say they HAD to suspend him, it was just an idea, I think a fine or just an apology would suffice, I just meant in the context of if that were the route they went. Don’t call other people soft just because you lack empathy for the experiences and treatment of people different than you.

Justmask

Suspend him😂😂 you guys are soft

Collin Ingram

Damn you people are soft

Collin Ingram

I would cope just fine from a 90s heel promo if it were the 90s. But it is no longer the 90s. Different things are accepted and unaccepted than 30 years ago, as they are 60, 90, 2000 years ago. Just because you weren't offended doesn't mean the people who were are overly sensitive. I haven't even seen anyone say anything bad about Carlito, only "that wasn't a cool thing for him to say."

weremound

You're asking the wrong question. Of course, I would sell to them while judging them for their racist comments. If they were belligerent and racist towards my employees or to other customers, I would kick them out in a heartbeat and not sale to them. The better question would be if an employee said a racist comment in front of a bunch of other employees and customers, would you turn a blind eye to it or would you address it?

Forceofwilliam

Agreed, some of them are likely terrible people. Some of them are oblivious. Point being if we only did business with people who didn't say racist shit on occasion we would have no business cuz there would be no people. So let's test your "morals"... if you owned a business like i do and customers came in and asked that you would definitely IMMEDIATELY kick them out and not sell to them correct? I think triple h is a terrible person and I can name at least 4 in EVERY company that are so, by your words, neither of us should be a wrestling fan at all correct?

Troy A Palek

Also, I realize you basically gave the HHH answer in your latest reply, further proving my point. Just because you are cool with racist comments doesn't mean it is okay.

Forceofwilliam

So because a bunch of people who come in to your stores are awful people (which furthers my previous theory that you try to rationalize your own racist conments), we should just turn a blind eye to it. Words mean things and have consequences. Have I ever said something insensitive? Yes. Have I learned from it and don't do it in now? Yes. Stop condoning and turning a blind eye to bad behavior.

Forceofwilliam

Wrong, im not much into trying to rationalize words. Mostly cuz I DGAF what people think regardless of their race, gender, etc. It was a live segment, shit happens. Someone losing their livelihood over it is peak insanity. Cuz, again, we would ALL be unemployed and broke. I own a few sports retail stores, you know the most frequent question I hear when a parent or spouse who isn't a fan is buying a jersey for one who is? Its "this player isn't black right"? Should all those people be fired as well? That slope isn't slippery, its actually invisible and you fall immediately when trying to step on it.

Troy A Palek

He's a heel, and thus an A hole character. What a silly thing to be upset about. I can't imagine how you would cope with a 90's heel promo. I tended to take the line as more him (the character) being a buffoon anyways. I have seen Scott Steiner call people fat pigs, Jeff Jarrett throw tortillas at the crowd, and Bubba Ray Dudley getting some crazy heat by saying even worse things. At the end of the day it's all part of the goofy fun world of pro wrestling. You guys ruin things by being overly sensitive and taking offense at absolutely everything. From heels being heels, to flipping out over anything even remotely sexual or raunchy in a storyline. If you cave to all the overly sensitive fans, WWE gets as bland as an episode of Sesame Street. If Carlos the man said something like that to them of course you address it, but good lord guys it's a fictional character you're suppose to dislike.

Daniel Schein

Maybe this is why Carlito never got to win a world title in WWE.

CSDX

Just cause you're right about Undertaker doesn't mean you're right about Carlito's comment.

CSDX

I need everyone in these comments to learn what a "microaggression" is. My lord.

Allyssa Golden

So because he is playing a character, he gets to make what appears to be an ad libbed racist comment with no consequences. Sounds like you're someone who rationalizes their own use of racist comments.

Forceofwilliam

Indeed I do. Major difference is neither of us are playing a character so I'd argue what we have likely said was worse on the "scale" or scope

Troy A Palek

I probably have, but I'm also not on worldwide television either. You do get the different scope of scale of this, right?

Forceofwilliam

If only we lived in a world that was THAT simple... nobody would have jobs. I promise you have said something that someone considered racist at some point and I'm betting you weren't fired immediately

Troy A Palek

People today are so sensitive. 😂

RegisC

💯 the intent wasn’t there to be offensive, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t stupid and offensive.

Joseph Cloud

I thought it he idea was it buys into him being a moron, but it didn’t work and shouldn’t have happened because the benefit is almost zero and the detriment is significant.

Joseph Cloud

Also, there is no language called “Chinese”. It’s primarily either mandarin or Cantonese.

Joseph Cloud

This is, no hyperbole; the stupidest possible response to this. Unless you were taking to Brazilians, saying “I should learn Spanish” to a Latino is not remotely offensive. There are two primary Chinese languages, neither of which is “Chinese”. Both women speak only Japanese and English. Regardless of what you think of the segment; this really fucking isn’t it. You just sound sumpremely ignorant.

Joseph Cloud

If you went around making racist comments at your job, I don't think your boss would care about your livelihood and the family you have to feed. If you don't want to lose you job, don't be a racist. Simple enough?

Forceofwilliam

I took it as Carlito being ignorant on purpose wanting a "Omg..what a moron, they are Japanese" type reply.

Keith Kripke

Thank you!

Michael Aranda

Its racist because Asians get lumped together like this all the time. The two wrestlers are Japanese not Chinese. Yet we are always lumped into "Asian" or "Chinese".

Michael Aranda

I don’t see anything racist about it. I always say I need to learn Spanish because I have a lot of Latino friends.

Chris Cobb

Calling for someone's job over him trying to improvise his line is a ridiculous statement. This whole "fire everyone that says something I don't like" bs is beyond old and ridiculous. It's a person's livelihood for christ sake. They have families they need to feed too.

Ky W

Don't believe it because why would he say that if it wasn't scripted because they have know what say when they are doing these segments on air

Willie James Boyce

It was live segment

Willie James Boyce

More like human trash triggered so much they had to call others snowflakes. I hope someone bans you. Nobody needs $5 from human garbage like you.

Forceofwilliam

Are you a fucking moron? How is saying he needs to learn Chinese about a woman who speaks Japanese not racist? Especially given what Iyo has gone through previously. Unless you're saying you don't know the difference between China and Japan?

Forceofwilliam

Hard disagree with you on this. Between HHH statement at the press event and the recent reports about what the writing room environment was like, I think a strong statement needs to be sent that they are trying to change the culture from what it was previously. A firing would be the only way to send that message.

Forceofwilliam

You only say that because, judging by your profile pic, you have never been marginalized or stereotyped in your entire life, you’re lucky you have that privilege

SlickJonny

Fired is a bit far. A fine or suspension is a better punishment

Osuman Massaquoi

Smart to say no insensitive yes, but racist no. Not like the Undertaker who is supporting a racist and a rapist.

Stalla

It was not

Jeffrey Pollard

This was a pretape. How did nobody catch it?

Elaquent

That doesn't justify him for using a racist line

Jeffrey Pollard

John Kirsch

Gross. 🤮

Andrew Bates

It plays into the “carlito is a bonehead” gimmick but it didn’t help anything. Fine him and move on.

Nick O’Shea

Ddx

Harold Anthony

Carlito character basically is an idiot who says wacky things & one liners. He basically improvised from talking about Dom to dropping a line about Iyo & Kairi & needing to learn Chinese. It was a dumb thing to say hopefully he learns from it and apologies

Matt Hennessy

Get his ass off tv

Joe

He was suppose to talk to Pierce about Dom getting a match with Gunther but when he walked past Iyo & Kari he improvised the line about needing to learn Chines that wasn’t part of his promo or the script

Matt Hennessy

Have no idea. I don’t watch

david gardner

Was the bullet point to walk into the scene and be stupid?

Taters Precious

Isn’t that the only thing he said? Hard to see how it wasn’t bullet pointed.

Taters Precious

WWE under the new regime aren't as strict with promos it’s not as heavily scripted as it was under Vince talent are given bullet points for a promo on what to say but are aloud to improvise how they get there. Carlito character is that’s he an idiot that says wacky things he improvised the line in his promo & it didn’t go over well

Matt Hennessy

Vince quantum leaped into Carlito’s body and delivered a 2019 classic

David C

Thank you

david gardner

Basically when Hunter took over creative two years wrestlers where given more freedom with there promos a couple of bullet points have to be followed on the topic they are talking about but they are aloud to improvise how they get there

Matt Hennessy

Have to admit when first saw the clip I thought this straight out the Vince “comedy” playbook. Surprised it would have got past editing afterwards not that Carlito should have said it.

Kieran Buxton

I’m glad it wasn’t planned with all the good will the new regime built would of been disappointed if it had . I’m sure Carlito didn’t mean to cause offence & was trying to play his character which is the wacky idiot who says dumb things hopefully he learns from it in the future & does better , I’ll say this it’s 2024 & I don’t think wrestling needs to go for low hanging fruit anymore I don’t think we need to make these type of jokes or bring up wrestlers who passed away as a way to get cheap heat

Matt Hennessy

Good thing I had fast forwarded through that entire segment. I would have been flabbergasted.

Justin Hesse

Hope he didn’t mean it with any malice and apologised right after

Stephen Bradley

Have Raquel beat the shit out of him and write him out for a suspension

Justmask

Glad to know that this wasn’t something that was planned, but instead Carlito ad-libbing it.

Daniel Beesley

I'm sure he was trying to "play the idiot" here and no malice was intended, but probably best to not attempt something like that because of how it could be interpreted, and definitely not as an improv.

Tempo1337

what an idiot

Angel

If that what they say I will take their word. I don’t watch WWE but from what I gather ( could be from bad sources ) ad libs are not very common practice in WWE. Someone needs to tell me if that has changed

david gardner

It wasn't "controversial". It was racist.

Marc Opps

If that line was scripted, the writer needs to be fired. If Carlito went off script, he needs to be fired. There is zero excuses for that type of racist lines in any wrestling program. And don't feed me bullshit about "you wouldn't survive the Attitude Era." Just because it was allowed in the late 1990's doesn't mean it was right then either.

Forceofwilliam

Part of Carlito’s current character is being dumb. But he did go far with that comment. I’ve really been enjoying his work lately I hope this doesn’t result in him being taken off tv.

mohamed manaee

I just thought it was a throw away line

Jamal Johnson

I'm also partly surprised wwe doesn't do all the pretapes before the show instead of live

Craigory

Jeez

Auntie Collins

Not a good line and not a good look. Carlito might be the next victim of talent cuts.

Alex Sabo

How would there not be heat on Carlito if indeed it was adlibbed

Craigory

Not cool Carlito

Darren Lloyd