WWE: Outrage Over Vince McMahon’s J.R. Impersonation
Posted on June 15th, 2012 by Cassidy
After WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon did a mean-spirited impersonation of Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross on RAW, several people are outraged, reports WrestleScoop.com. In a backstage segment where Vince and Hornswoggle are watching Hornswoggle’s J.R. impersonation from SmackDown, the Chairman did an over-the-top impression of the Hall of Famer, severely distorting his face and doing a mock chant of “Stone Cold, Stone Cold, Stone Cold” (a mockery of J.R.’s Bell’s Palsy, a face-distorting disease that Ross has battled with for most of his adult life, though the condition began to worsen in 1998).
Former WCW commentator Mark Madden took to Twitter, saying “McMahon mocking Ross’ Bell’s Palsy was unforgivable. What a scumbag, pure and simple. Just a twisted, emotionally crippled jerkoff. McMahon wasn’t mocking a stranger. Ross is one of WWE’s most valued employees ever. Ross’ big sin: He knows more about wrestling than Vince.” Former WWE Creative Writer Seth Mates also commented on the impersonation, “WWE touts anti-bullying [be a STAR campaign], yet babyface Vince mocks J.R.’s medical condition? It’s one thing for heels to be bullies and then get what they have coming. It’s another for faces to make bullying look cool and fun.”
Anyone who has watched professional wrestling over the years knows that this is hardly the first time J.R. has been mocked on-air for his Bell’s Palsy. The most infamous instance was in WCW in 1999 where then-writer Ed Ferrera debuted an on-air character named, “Oklahoma”, with Ferrera both mocking J.R.’s announcing style and his Bell’s Palsy.
Jim Ross himself has also been involved in countless on-air angles during his time with the WWE where the Hall of Famer has had his arm broken by Triple H, put in a match with Triple H, forced to take part in a rap battle with Michael Cole and do a Spin-a-rooni, among others.
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