Leave it to the WWE to cash in on Jerry Lawler's heart attack by coming up with a t-shirt:
http://shop.wwe.com/Jerry-Lawler-Long-Live-the-King-Authentic-Men%27s-T-Shirt/W04560,default,pd.html?dwvar_W04560_color=black&start=1&cgid=superstar-alumni-jerrylawler
-Paul.
Yeah, but guys make money off their own merch, so I don't foresee Lawler having any problem with a shirt celebrating him. Plus it's a nice shirt, I'd buy it.
I think it's fine. It helps the King pay his medical bills and shows him a bit of support. It's not like Vince is using 100% of the profits to buy a new plane. At least I hope not.
ReplyDeleteOf course there should be a shirt. If he'd died that night it would be in poor taste but he didn't so here we are.
ReplyDeleteYeah I don't see a problem with the shirt. Sure it's technically "cashing in" on the Lawler thing but like Scott says it's celebrating Jerry with a timeless saying.
ReplyDeleteEvery commemoration of someone or something following a tragic or unfortunate event is not a "cash-in" opportunity. Each set of circumstances is different. Not accusing or judging, just felt it needed to be said.
ReplyDeleteLeave it to Paul to blow something out of proportion and just try to find a way to criticize WWE.
ReplyDeleteI like it.
ReplyDeleteI'd buy more WWE shirts if they didn't have that "WWE Authentic" strip thing at the bottom.
This is par for course in a country that makes money off 9/11 memorbilia, have folks sell out their children to get on reality tv and help media make tons of money by obsessing over tragedy in general (Casey Anthony)... its the American way people!!!
ReplyDeleteDoesn't this super cynical WWE is the devil attitude ever get tiring?
ReplyDeleteYep, terrible decision to start putting that on.
ReplyDeleteand god knows WWE ain't paying his medical bills with insurance.
ReplyDeleteWWE is and has always been a corporation with the primary goal of making money. This shirt makes them more money. It doesn't make them the devil.
ReplyDeleteThis is just so typical of him. I can't wait until the next thing he says, I'll really let him have it.
ReplyDeleteYeah. Nice shirt, and it's saying "YAY JERRY LAWLER BEAT DEATH" in its own classy way. Why shouldn't they sell that on a shirt? Let them celebrate their wins when they do ever manage to get 'em.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, it is a rather nice shirt, though I'm curious if there's anything on the back. I know I've had many purchases not happen because while I like the design on the front there's something completely stupid on the back.
ReplyDeleteHOW DARE THEY!!??
ReplyDeleteDespite the "independent contractors" not having company-provided insurance, I'm pretty sure that I've read/heard that Vince has personally paid the bills for his big stars. Triple H's first quad tear springs to mind, I could swear that he spoke about Vince footing the bill for him, even going so far as to have a wrestling ring delivered to his (Trips') home so that he can practice in it.
ReplyDeleteNot that that shouldn't extend to EVERYONE on the roster, but it's something.
I don't see what the big deal is.
ReplyDeleteThe WWE had $600 million in revenue last year. Selling Jerry Lawler t-shirts isn't gonna have much affect on that number. I don't see it as "cashing in."
Lawler had a heart attack on the air, and scared everyone. There are alot of people happy to see Jerry doing ok, and wanting to show their support for him, so the WWE made the shirt available.
What's the problem with it?
Everything WWE does is heartless and has a nefarioua purpose behind it. Didn't you get the memo?
ReplyDeleteMaybe he is. Apparently, he did fly Lawler back to Memphis on the freakin' corporate jet...
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've heard it too. I'd prefer they be employees so they can, you know, just simply get insurance. But they've certainly footed medical bills in the past, and rehab for more than a few guys.
ReplyDeleteIsn't another reason that JR is primarily a non-television employee so that he can keep his employee status vs. being an independently contracted talent? That way WWE can provide him insurance.
ReplyDeleteI vaguely remember reading that JR can only work X number of days per year before being considered talent vs. an employee.
Sorry, Paul. Everyone disagrees with you in this case.
ReplyDeleteWhat an oddly generic shirt.
ReplyDeleteWould you have preferred "I Came Back From The Dead And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt"?
ReplyDeleteLOL. I guess they could rework the color scheme and use it for the Undertaker too.
ReplyDeleteI just meant that the logo and the lettering looks right out of the WWE clip art library. Usually his name is always written in cursive and they use a different crown logo -- it just seems very thrown together.
That's always been especially true of WWE shirts.
ReplyDelete+1 with Scott. The King will get a good bunch of the proceeds, and it's a nice show of support. Calling this "cashing in" isnt appropriate.
ReplyDeleteNow juicing yourself with HGH to the 9th degree, then peddling 300 million "Livestrong" bracelets is another story.....