On last week’s Jim Cornette Experience, Cornette went into his departure from NWA Powerrr. On episode 7 “The Phoenix Rises,” he delivered a joke which many felt was insensitive in a match between Nick Aldis and Trevor Murdoch. If you remember the episode of South Park with Starvin’ Marvin then he basically used that as the crux of his joke about Murdoch’s toughness.
His co-host Brian Last felt that it was a bad joke and an outdated one but agreed with Jim Cornette on the level of outrage. Corny would go on to explain the joke and the situation where it’s pre-taped and could’ve been taken out in production.
It’s a good point. If NWA Powerrr’s production team felt that the statement could’ve been inflammatory or bring the wrong kind of heat, they could’ve cut it. This isn’t live television. There were days to take of that and production probably didn’t see anything wrong with the joke—which is another issue.
Is There A Way To Skate By With Controversial Commentary?
As my colleague here on The Overtimer pointed out, Cornette currently gets over by being controversial. It’s 2019, we have social media, and things are caught much faster than they would’ve been in 1989 or 1999. This wasn’t something that was going to fly under the radar.
That said, if he’d been established as heel color commentary early on in NWA Powerrr’s run, this might have been softened since he was a heel. On one hand, it’s 2019 and there’s stuff a commentator should avoid saying as not to bring undesired press to their employer. However, on the other hand, they’re a heel.
They’re not expected to be the most sensitive. I mean, they certainly don’t care about traumatize little kids by having their monster or goons dog walk the babyface in the ring. As a matter of fact, the play-by-play announcer is often expected to apologize for the heel color commentator’s behavior so that they don’t break character.
Cornette did as much himself when The Gangstas did their promos in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Of course, that was the 1990s. It was a different time when a commentator or the wrestlers could say some really froggy stuff. The voices that would take offense weren’t particularly loud because the platform wasn’t there.
Basically, if the sponsors and the network couldn’t hear or see it, why take action. Jerry Lawler got away with saying worse on TV. Again, it was the 90s, everyone was in their “We’re cool, we’re being edgy, right?” mode and it was WWE. That company could take a torpedo and not sink. If NWA took that same torpedo then it’s going into the fire.
…and then to the ocean floor. Also, a lot of the stuff from that period didn’t age well.
Jim Cornette Has Defended Offensive Commentary Before
Corny’s defense of his comment didn’t come as any surprise. I was actually behind on listening to wrestling podcasts but knew that he’d address it as he’s done with every departure from a company. Him defending himself and not apologizing for it was something else I knew he’d do. He did the same when Joey Styles got in trouble back in November 2016.
In both instances, it wasn’t so much the joke itself to Cornette. He admits it was a garbage joke. It all comes down to the outrage from people who took offense and how they came at him. It’s easier to just apologize—whether it’s heartfelt or not—and avoid it in the future. There’s no “learning and growing” to be done here. Cornette and NWA are aware of what decade we’re in here, it’s just “I’m sorry” and knocking it off, really.
In most instances when he’s left or been fired from a company, I can sympathize with Cornette’s side having been in situations where my work was complicated by other people’s actions. This is one of those rare instances where it’s all Corny’s fault. He’ll be okay though. He has his business, his podcast, and even with him constantly leaving companies, people will always bring him in.
Bischoff seems to think that’s unlikely while Omega believes that Cornette always lands on his feet. I’m siding with Omega on this.
