WWE reportedly planned controversial segment for major show
WWE is no stranger to controversy. In addition to the racy storylines from the Attitude Era and other periods, the pro wrestling juggernaut has had brushes with various political and legal troubles and has even suffered through a few scandals. New details have just been revealed on one major idea that was nixed, including how members of the McMahon Family were on both sides of the fence.
The COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020 had a major impact on pro wrestling, as it did with the rest of the world. World Wrestling Entertainment managed to run its usual TV and PLE shows, using the Performance Center and the custom ThunderDome. The vaccine roll-out began in December 2020, and the various restrictions and testing also had an impact on wrestling companies.
At one point, the state of Florida was investigating the Stamford-based promotion for running the Performance Center, Full Sail Live, and the Amway Center as COVID hotspots, but the company was never punished. Now it's being revealed how the company had big vaccine-related plans for the WWE Universe.
Speaking on The Wrestling Matt, former WWE on-air talent Matt Camp revealed that a segment was planned for Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was a lead member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force under President Trump. The controversial figure later spent two years as President Biden's Chief Medical Advisor and was a lead member of the White House COVID-19N Response Team.
Camp noted how The Bump didn't get a lot of love within the company, but it was used in certain ways, such as a strong sponsorship resource. The Bump featured many non-wrestling guests during the pandemic, and Fauci had been making various TV appearances to discuss the vaccine. That being the case, WWE discussed a potential roundtable segment on its programming.
Officials had the idea to host a roundtable discussion with Fauci and top superstars like Drew McIntyre and the former Sasha Banks, aka Mercedes Moné. The segment had the support of then-Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, but ultimately, it was nixed by Vince McMahon. The then-Chairman & CEO considered giving it a green light, but in the end, he felt the idea was too political for WWE. Camp revealed how there were actual talks with the White House and the President.
Camp speculated that the interview may have been taped as they were doing a lot of pre-tapes during the pandemic, but the feeling was that The Bump was the right medium for this project. He and Kayla Braxton were apparently discussed as the hosts. The goal was to talk about what it was like to be an entertainer in the pandemic and general life at this time while getting the word out about the vaccine.
While WWE was investigated for COVID-19 violations in December 2020, the company made pandemic headlines in April of that year as well. Govenor DeSantis ruled they were among the "essential businesses" that were allowed to resume operations.
Top WWE stars produced COVID-19 content
WWE was one of the many entertainment brands that aired or created content related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the roll-out of the vaccine.
A video aired on RAW in January 2021 with Drew McIntyre sending a message to fans after testing positive for the coronavirus, stressing the importance of health and safety guidelines following a positive test. WWE later uploaded a 20-minute video with The Scottish Warrior interviewing Dr. Francis Collins of the National Institutes of Health.
Several superstars were picked for the early 2021 government vaccine awareness campaign. An NXT version featured names like Adam Cole and Ember Moon, while the next used RAW stars such as Sheamus and The Miz. Another had SmackDown stars like Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns, while the fourth had stars from both brands, including Rey Mysterio and The Miz.
John Cena, Triple H, and Charlotte Flair represented WWE in The Real Heroes Project, which honored healthcare workers during the pandemic. The company joined 12 other sports leagues in supporting the Ad Council's vaccine campaign, while Charly Caruso interviewed Titus O'Neil about working with Nestle Pure Life to help families in the pandemic.