AN OPEN LETTER TO VINCE MCMAHON ABOUT "EUGENE"

[Roland]

AN OPEN LETTER TO VINCE MCMAHON ABOUT "EUGENE"
By: Various Writers
4/8/2004 6:15:00 PM
By Chrystine Stylle

An open letter to WWE

---------------------

First off, I want to say that I've been a WWE fan since 1991. A hardcore, devoted fan of the company and the business as a whole. I even watched WCW every week no matter how bad the shows were. My dream job for years has been with WWE. I wanted it so bad I didn't care what job I DID, so long as it was with WWE. I've defended the company and the wrestlers to people who don't understand the business so many times I've memorized my arguments. So, considering my love for this business and WWE, I would like to extend an invitation to Vince McMahon and the booking committee.

I'd like you to come to Fayetteville, Arkansas and visit LifeStyles.

LifeStyles ia a managed community that assists mentally challenged people in living normal lives on their own. They provide apartments, training, and an astute staff to give these people a place to thrive when the rest of the world wants to put them away. Everyone at LifeStyles contributes to the economy, pays their taxes, and gives to the community. They're loving, generous and kind people. My brother happens to live there. I think a visit would greatly increase your empathy and understanding of the one group of people who don't have huge organizations to defend themselves against you.

For 30 years, my family has had to fight to get Shawn equal access to even the most basic of life's pleasure's and education. Despite having more common sense than most people I know, Shawn is smart, happy, complex, hard working, devoted to his family, ready to learn, willing to go above and beyond and caring for his friends and family. He is not a bumbling nincompoop who can't be left on his own for five minutes.

I think, if you try, you will find that these people are important members of the community. And obviously, they're a lot more compassionate than the WWE booking team. We've had to fight this stereotype of "Eugene" for Shawn's entire life. People THOUGHT he's like "Eugene" so they made fun of him, spit on him, kicked him, shoved him, called him names, threw his belongings in the mud, etc etc etc. Mr. McMahon, you've had to fight against the public's stereotypes against your business and company correct? So how can you be so shut out to the reality of other people? In one night, with two short skits, you managed to justify to millions their negative and completely false impressions of some truly fantastic people.

I've stuck by WWE through good times and bad, and through some of the most ridiculous angles of all time, because I was a devoted fan. I even blew off the whole Katie Vick thing because it was so patently unrealistic no one took it seriously. When you make Nunzio a member of a mob, Italians could complain if they wanted. A lot of people know that not every Italian is in the Mafia. When you make us Southerners look like hog farmers with no brains, we can laugh because 1) we actually know people like that and they don't care and 2) they can defend themselves if they feel so inclined. There are Italians, Southerners, Russians, Japanese and others in high corporate and entertainment venues. There is no show that really deals with the mentally challenged. Life Goes On went on to the cutting room years ago. There are no mentally retarded people on the White House staff. They have no recourse, except for thoughtful people who care. "Eugene" is a disgrace, not only to these people, but to you, your company and especially a talent like Nick Dinsmore.

For the first time since it first aired, I won't be watching Smackdown tonight. And if you insist on shoving this disgusting and disgraceful character down our throats, I won't be watching RAW either. Ever. And I must tell you, most of my friends came from watching WWE. WWE has been a big part of my life and I will feel a great sense of emptiness without it. But I won't feel nearly as empty as I did last night when I watched a tape of RAW.

So come down. Let me introduce you to Shawn. I guarantee you'll have a different outlook on the human race.

I've defended you. If "Eugene" sticks around, I won't be able to anymore.

Signed on behalf of a large number of people who have told me they feel the same way. This is from all of us.

Chrystine Stylle

my response

Personally I think the Eugene character is good for the mentally disabled, by having a handicapped wrestler like him wrestling and getting big pops from the fans it will not further expose nasty truths about the mentally retarded, it will shine a light on all of the good aspects of human life. The problem with people have with the mentally retarded is that of misunderstanding and confusion, it's much easier to dismiss someone you don't "get" rather than put the effort into getting to know them. Having Eugene on Raw weekly will not take people's confusion and twist it more into misunderstanding and contempt but imagine a WWE fan running into a real Eugene on the street and having seen one of their favorite superstars weekly on TV, having the compassion to simply say hello to them instead of muttering "retard" under their breath.

Until the Re-Tard chants start, I personally don't see any harm in having him on the show, who knows with character development he may even transform into somebody who can intelligent voice his opinions. The more you keep your brother in the dark away from soceity the more he will fear it and vice versa. I don't think Vince McMahon is being an ******* with this character, I hope he provides information numbers on mental retardation, to teach a sort of patience with people who might be a little bit difficult to understand, but regardless, if you heard the fans on monday night, you know that they like Eugene, and Eugene likes them. Imagine Eugene teaming with the Rock to defeat Ric Flair and HHH or Kane even.

Also in defense of the WWE, if you look at guys like Stone Cold and Mick Foley and how they are very open to working with the physically and mentally handicapped I don't see why so many people are so up in arms over the Eugene angle, I guess it is just easier to dismiss and hate something so hard to understand then to take the effort out to see things in their positive form.

-zack wolk

P.S. I am fully aware that my opinion is not a popular one, especially in here, but I really do think good can come from this, more than bad.
-z

[MidCardMark]

The thing is Vince will not make an effort to educate people on the mentally-challenged. He will not use this as a way to shine a light on the way people view those members of our society. This is a spectacle angle and no better or different than when he brought in a one-legged wrestler. Vince doesn't care about who he hurts or offends. He only does what he thinks can make him money. Eugene will be played as a bufoon who can't care for himself. He will be an idiot who can't figure out right from wrong. He won't achieve to be a fully competent member of society. He won't be the representative that the original writer of this letter hopes for.

And Roland, the writer only invites Vince to visit their home so as to ensure that the Eugene character is handled properly. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how insensitively Vince can handle multiple characters. Come on, if I stopped enjoying the Eddie Guerrero character, I might be greatly offended by a champion who is know for being a criminal... just like his nephew. Hell, Tito Santana was only a heartbeat away from having a damn TACO on his tights!! This level of concern and protest should be supported. At least the original writer isn't trying to mount a campaign against the WWE. They simply won't tune in. What's wrong with that?

[Roland]

And Roland, the writer only invites Vince to visit their home so as to ensure that the Eugene character is handled properly. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how insensitively Vince can handle multiple characters. Come on, if I stopped enjoying the Eddie Guerrero character, I might be greatly offended by a champion who is know for being a criminal... just like his nephew. Hell, Tito Santana was only a heartbeat away from having a damn TACO on his tights!! This level of concern and protest should be supported. At least the original writer isn't trying to mount a campaign against the WWE. They simply won't tune in. What's wrong with that?

Nothing is Wrong with it in fact I didn't actually post my view on this topic, I haven't seen Eugene's Character so I really don't know why people are upset beyond it. But From what heard there using his character as a comic relief and thats pissing people off. This could also be a bad sign for WWE because one thing they should not lose are dedicated fans like her and a friend of mine who has a problem with the gimmick fans like her as she said stayed through the bad times are what kept the WWE alive. But I really don't see WWE stoping a gimmick that they probably put in a lot of Hard work and Money for a few Baised opinions, all in all just wanted to share this topic with the Board

[savage-monkey44]

I really hate this Story it's just ridiculouse. this is why the WWE wasts talent because of stupid story line's like this sure it's funny but I think it will cause some contreversy and strong negative reaction.

[MidCardMark]

Nothing is Wrong with it in fact I didn't actually post my view on this topic, I haven't seen Eugene's Character so I really don't know why people are upset beyond it. But From what heard there using his character as a comic relief and thats pissing people off. This could also be a bad sign for WWE because one thing they should not lose are dedicated fans like her and a friend of mine who has a problem with the gimmick fans like her as she said stayed through the bad times are what kept the WWE alive. But I really don't see WWE stoping a gimmick that they probably put in a lot of Hard work and Money for a few Baised opinions, all in all just wanted to share this topic with the Board

Hey, sorry to single you out. When I saw the main post and it said, "My Response", I thought that it was naturally from you or that you were supporting that kind of thinking. So I added my response. As you could tell, I don't agree with the whole thing and think it's a funny little "idea" to pass around and laugh about the "what ifs", but when you go and put it on TV, that's not just tasteless but irresponsible.

[Superman33]

There have been mentally challenged people on many other TV shows, but for some reason when WWE does it people like Roland throw a fit. Some people take television too seriously.

[JDog]

There have been mentally challenged people on many other TV shows, but for some reason when WWE does it people like Roland throw a fit. Some people take television too seriously.


I agree with ya, Supes
There have a lot of mentally challenged people on TV, and nobody found it offensive, the problem with the world is that everyone is way too sensitive nowadays, and they need to relax, nobody said anything about Forrest Gump, and all I saw from that movie was a "normal" person portaying someone mentally challenged, and how they can do anything, and thats what I see from this gimmick, I am going to assume that once he gets in the ring, everyone will be "surprised" at how good he is in the ring, because of his "condition"

And for anyone who can remember, This is NO different then the George "The Animal" Steele gimmick, which was one of their most popular gimmicks of that time

I understand that people are more sensitive now because we live in a more Feminized World and because of personal situations, but people like me wont fall into that B/S of only saying or doing things that are sensitive to peoples emotions, I will always say what I feel, and its ashame that everyone isnt like that and can enjoy something for its entertainment value, instead of what THEY think is right

[Epitaph]

There have been mentally challenged people on many other TV shows, but for some reason when WWE does it people like Roland throw a fit. Some people take television too seriously.

I think it's the way the WWE are portraying it. If they had this Angle Play out as you say Seriously instead of making him look like a Compleate Utter joke then i dont think it has a spot in Sports Entertainment! Supes i think you may have been a little Harsh here though. I'm Hopeing , That the WWE DONT Turn this in to a Joke Angle. But what gets me is that when the WWE try and end this "Gimmick" Run , Dinsmore Maybe affected by this :( which is a shame.

[Roland]

Hey, sorry to single you out. When I saw the main post and it said, "My Response", I thought that it was naturally from you or that you were supporting that kind of thinking. So I added my response. As you could tell, I don't agree with the whole thing and think it's a funny little "idea" to pass around and laugh about the "what ifs", but when you go and put it on TV, that's not just tasteless but irresponsible.

I really can't judge anything I haven't seen, but when I read this story I felt it was a gr8 story so I just decide to share it with everyone, I've seen a few pictures from WWE but I still can't give my opinion about it

[Roland]

I agree with ya, Supes
There have a lot of mentally challenged people on TV, and nobody found it offensive, the problem with the world is that everyone is way too sensitive nowadays, and they need to relax, nobody said anything about Forrest Gump, and all I saw from that movie was a "normal" person portaying someone mentally challenged, and how they can do anything, and thats what I see from this gimmick, I am going to assume that once he gets in the ring, everyone will be "surprised" at how good he is in the ring, because of his "condition"


Wasn't Forrest Gump a biography of A guy, what the WWE and Forrest Gump the movie are two different situation, WWE is using a gimmick of a guy and using him as a stereotype to retards as I HEARD.

[JDog]

Wasn't Forrest Gump a biography of A guy, what the WWE and Forrest Gump the movie are two different situation, WWE is using a gimmick of a guy and using him as a stereotype to retards as I HEARD.

All I was doing was comparing the use of un-mentally challenged people playing one, and I highly doubt Forrest Gump was a 100% true story, it may have had true stories but I dont think it was a complete life story of one man

[Gravedigger]

This whole subject is hilarious. I was waiting for someone to step in and complain. It's funny listening to people sit there and always complaining when a controversial character surfaces. The funny part is that these people just don't realize is that this is TELEVISION. Nothing is supposed to be seen as real unless either it's a TRUE STORY or it's the news. And to think that people are persuaded by this is stupid. Almost everyone is smart enough to tell the difference between what people on TV and the same people IRL are like. And the one who aren't smart enough are people who are real young and impressionable. And really...those people are persuaded by a leaf falling through the air. Their opinions change all the time. Now as for that woman's post...which I LOVED:


For 30 years, my family has had to fight to get Shawn equal access to even the most basic of life's pleasure's and education. Despite having more common sense than most people I know, Shawn is smart, happy, complex, hard working, devoted to his family, ready to learn, willing to go above and beyond and caring for his friends and family. He is not a bumbling nincompoop who can't be left on his own for five minutes.
I think that right there shows that this is all about jealousy of someone else other than Shawn is on TV. She's spent a lot of her life trying to make him somebody and then some other "special" person comes along and gets the spot instead. Of course, we all know that "special" person is Nick Dinsmore, someone who is far from "special". But then again this is TV...so we're not supposed to take things seriously.


I even blew off the whole Katie Vick thing because it was so patently unrealistic no one took it seriously.


There is no show that really deals with the mentally challenged. Life Goes On went on to the cutting room years ago. There are no mentally retarded people on the White House staff. They have no recourse, except for thoughtful people who care. "Eugene" is a disgrace, not only to these people, but to you, your company and especially a talent like Nick Dinsmore.
Now this part of the letter is where I really laughed my ass off at the stupidity of this woman. She starts acting like she's smart because she's "in the loop" about what goes on behind the scenes and because she knows some wrestling terms.

Saying the Katie Vick angle was unrealistic makes me want to bash my head against the brick wall outside my house. The story wasn't unrealistic. Kane had too many beers and crashed...simple as that. The part where HHH pretended to be Kane was unrealistic....DUH!! Of course we all knew that was actually HHH under the mask and of course we all knew that was a manican (sp?) in the casket. Of course we know Kane didn't hump the woman when she was dead. I mean wtf is wrong with this woman? LMAO, did she actually think for a couple of seconds that it was Kane and then realized it wasn't when he climbed into the casket??? Saying it was unrealistic is a stupid observation because anyone could figure that out. To say that it was distasteful and over the top is a better thing to say about it.


When you make Nunzio a member of a mob, Italians could complain if they wanted. A lot of people know that not every Italian is in the Mafia.
Again, lmao@this woman thinking that she's smart because she's in the loop and has read a few wrestling websites. Hello? Nunzio was Little Guido in ECW and was in the FBI. This wasn't Vince's creation, it was Paul Heyman's creation. If this woman wants to do a little research, she needs to be careful of stupid mistakes like this one.


When you make us Southerners look like hog farmers with no brains, we can laugh because 1) we actually know people like that and they don't care and 2) they can defend themselves if they feel so inclined. There are Italians, Southerners, Russians, Japanese and others in high corporate and entertainment venues.

See this is another thing that I don't like. I don't like it when any group of people, no matter if they're a demographical group of people, a racial group of people or whatever else kind of groups there are, I don't like it when those people look at one or two characters and see their gimmick as a gimmick that is making fun of that entire group of people.

Henry Godwinn's character made fun of itself and fun of Phineas and the other guy that was with them. It was not making fun of Southerners in general. I'm a Southerner and didn't take offense to it.

Theodore R. Long's character is not making fun of black people saying that all of them think they are pimps. It's making fun of Teddy's character.

Eugene's character is making fun of itself, not mentally handicapped people in general.

Eddie and Chavo's characters aren't making fun of Mexians and Latinos, they're making fun of themselves. The We lie we cheat we steal part was about Los Guerreros not the whole Mexican country!!

Two nights ago on Smackdown, Bradshaw was making fun of Mexicans who cross the border not Mexicans in general.

Honestly, I think the people who feel their racial or demographical, or whatever else group are being made fun of are wrong. I think those people who complain are actually the ones who see their group that way. When I look at Los Guerreros, Teddy Long, Eugene, and Henry Godwinn...I see characters on TV. That's it. People need to get over it.

[Superman33]

*marks out for Gravedigger*

So, with that said, how bout people quit taking television so serioulsy. Or, maybe we're in the wrong, GD. Maybe we should start taking it more seriously.

That's it, I'm sending a letter to Fox Kids because they have a group of four turtles that were brought up to fight. In my opinion, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is in the wrong. What kind of message is that show portraying? You should train your pet turtles to fight? I have a pet turtle and it highly offends me that they would have a show like that. It also offends me because I have a pet rat, and the person who trains the turtles to fight is a rat. What are they telling me to do? Train my pet rat to train my pet turtle to fight? That's down right wrong and I will have nothing to do with it!!!!

[Gravedigger]

*marks out for Gravedigger*

So, with that said, how bout people quit taking television so serioulsy. Or, maybe we're in the wrong, GD. Maybe we should start taking it more seriously.

That's it, I'm sending a letter to Fox Kids because they have a group of four turtles that were brought up to fight. In my opinion, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is in the wrong. What kind of message is that show portraying? You should train your pet turtles to fight? I have a pet turtle and it highly offends me that they would have a show like that. It also offends me because I have a pet rat, and the person who trains the turtles to fight is a rat. What are they telling me to do? Train my pet rat to train my pet turtle to fight? That's down right wrong and I will have nothing to do with it!!!!
That's what I'm saying!!! I'm sure if ninjas weren't taught to not be seen or heard by people that they'd be complaining about how they look due to TMNT.

"WE DO NOT LIVE IN SEWERS EATING PIZZA ALL DAY!!"

[savage-monkey44]

I think you should even threaten legal action against them.

wow that was a great post GD I now see more clearly into the woman's stupidity. thank you.

[TooGood2Btrue]

as i do to most of the angles i'll wait to see how this one plays out.

The only thing is that wwe does relay in stereotypes a lot, that is what hurts the bussines and the wrestlers, after this gimmic gets stale there is no much room for nick to go (this is the only thing that worries me), unless they do a Billy and Chuck type of explanation of how he was using his condition to his advantage.

i'm from latin america and i just find the eddie character funny i dont think its offensive, think about it even Vince is a stereotype he is this filthy rich man who does what he wants because of his money, so dont be too harsh on wwe programming, if you dont like what you see you can always flip the channel.

be patient and remember that you watch wrestling to enjoy not to suffer so i'm with superman and gravedigger

[Cena316]

Well I have posted this once and I will post it again..

When somebody shoots somebody in a movie nobody throws a fit because the guy was shot because they know that the man didnt really die..it was a movie... But if somebody shoots somebody on a wrestling show then you get lawsuits and people like the idiot that wrote this stupid letter..Now obviously i dont think Vince McMahon would even go that far as to shoot somebody but it was an example...

My point was if somebody does something in a movie its fine but if they do it in wrestling then its a crime.. I dont know if anybody saw I Am Sam..Sean Penn played a mentally retarded man...In the movie they played him out as if he wasnt able to raise his daughter..That was a movie and it was "Entertainment"..Nobody threw a fit about that movie, in fact Sean Penn won an oscar for that movie if Im not mistaken..Wrestling also known as "Entertainment" is the same thing as a movie.. The only difference between Wrestling and movies is that Wrestling is filmed in front of thousands of people every week...

Wrestling and Movies both have sex, they both have violence...(fake violence BTW)..But when a movie star "Pretends" to beat the hell out of somebody, nobody cares..But when a wreslter "pretends" to beat the hell out of somebody then thats when people have a problem with it...

This whole Eugene character is not any different than I am Sam...Absolutley no difference..I am from Central Texas.. I live in a small Texas town...And when Vince McMahon wears a cowboy hat and then stomps on it in the heart of Ft. Worth Texas. Ft. Worth being known as one of the most well known cities in texas...Nobody in Texas hated Vince McMahon.. They marked out big time for it..They booed him just like they were supposed to do..But nobyd went on the internet and pissed and moaned because Vince McMahon stomped on a cowboy hat.. they knew it was a show..Same goes for any other gimick in WWE..The argument that you are trying to start here not only goes for retarded people but it could possibly go for black,hispanics,and even chineese....Black dont get mad when Booker T. is labeled for being a criminal just because he is black...People dont get mad when Bradshaw is talking about illegal aliens...And nobody gets mad when Tajiri goes around spraying mist in peoples eyes and acting like a total dumbass...

My point her eis if mentally challenged people want to act like WWE is being so wrong with this story line.. then all the Blacks,all the hispanics..and all the whites, chineese,japaneese,viatnameese,african,asian,europ ean,british,norwiegans,canadians,dogs,cats,goats,c ows,horses,snakes,spiders,toiletpaper,napkins,
houses,tv sets, and every other material thing or person you can think of..because any one of those people or things could claim that WWE have used then in the wrong way.. but they dont becaue they know it is a show..and if you have been watching WWE since 1991 then you should know it is a show and that WWE nor Vince McMahon mean any of this stuff literally...I have 4 words for you..IT IS A SHOW.....its not real....get over it and move on...

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now if I could be serious for a moment..Right at this exact minute I am flipping through the channels on my tv set..Oh wait what do we have here...I do believe this is Homeward Bound..Wow what a good movie..But I do have one problem with it...Those animals are petrayed to be humans.. I think that every animal activist should start bitching about this...This is wrong and should be attended to imidiatly..I dont think it is right to prtray dogs and cats as humans..I think that making animals talk is teaching our youth that it is ok to make animals talk..I have 3 dogs and 5 cats and if I every tried to make them talk it would not only be stupid but it would be wrong...And i think that anybody who tried to make their dogs and cats talk should be sent away..I think that if WWE starts using talking animals then i might just have to stop watching it..I have watched WWE since 1991 and I am an expert on the sport and talking animals is just wrong...

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now I hope that you guys see my point in that..This thread is rediculous as is every other thread on this topic..Nick Dinsmore is doing nothing more than creating entertainment..And anybody with sense of humor that cannot laugh at this story line really needs to lighten up and realize Wrestling is a show...Its not real...its a movie thats shown on TV every week..nothing more..

[TooGood2Btrue]

i just want to add this, is in the Linda's Thought column by Linda Robin in Wrestlingattitude

I got an email last night as I said from a reader named Darryl. Darryl has an older brother with Downs Syndrome. His brother saw Eugene and was very hurt by this character. So Darryl wrote to WWEfansservice and they responded. I have the complete email and maybe after you read this, it will get you thinking. I know it made me rethink my thoughts on this subject. So let me share WWE's response with you. And Darryl thank you so much for sending this to me.

From: Fan Services [mailto:FanServices@wwecorp.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004
To: xxxxxx
Subject: RE: Eugene, a very offensive character..


Darryl:

Thank you for your email to WWE. We have introduced a new character on WWE Monday Night RAW, Eugene Dinsmore. Eugene is a person with a mental disability. His dream is to become a professional wrestler.

WWE intends to portray the character of Eugene as a hero, as are the many people with disabilities around the world (many of whom are WWE fans) who must everyday face challenges to live the type of life many of us take for granted. Eugene, despite his disability, will get a chance to achieve his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. We hope that Eugene's story will encourage other people with disabilities to strive to achieve their dreams, whatever they may be.

Story background: In the recent edition of Monday Night RAW, viewers learned that Eric Bischoff, an underhanded schemer, has a nephew named Eugene. At the behest of Bischoff's sister, he has let his nephew Eugene join RAW to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Bischoff tricks the despicable William Regal, a slimy, upper crust Englishman, to manage Eugene. Upon meeting Eugene and seeing he has a mental disability, Regal immediately complains about his task, similar to how many people who are uncaring and ignorant initially react to the mentally handicapped. However, Eugene will persevere and he ultimately will get his chance to perform in the ring. WWE is very grateful you took the time to contact us, and we thank you for your email.

so as you can see this storyline doesn't intends to be offensive, so relax and enjoy WWE, its just a show.

[Cena316]

my point exactly!