New Haven, CT federal judge Peter Dorsey dismissed the lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment filed by former wrestlers Scott "Raven" Levy, Chris "Kanyon" Klucsaritis and "Above Average" Mike Sanders.
In the suit, the wrestlers said the level of control exerted over them by WWE qualified them as full-time employees of the company and not independent contractors as their contracts stipulated they were. The contracts dictated compensation, physical training regimens, dates and sites of matches, costumes, and storylines for performers' wrestling personas. WWE also reserved the right to use their images and submitted them to drug screenings. The suit claims WWE avoided withholding federal taxes from the performers' paychecks by not classifying them as full-time employees. The company also didn't pay Social Security or Medicare taxes, nor did it pay for benefits such as health care or vacation time.
The suit was originally filed in July in state Superior Court but was later moved to U.S. District Court of Connecticut. The plaintiffs also sought class-action status. WWE's request for dismissal was granted on Tuesday. Attorney David Golub said the losing wrestlers are considering an appeal.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson turned down an offer to appear at WrestleMania 25 in Houston, Texas. WWE is already allegedly attempting to acquire Johnson's services for WrestleMania 26 in Arizona.
Showing posts with label The Rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Rock. Show all posts
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
John Cena on steroids, movies, and getting married
Credit: PWTorch.com Newsletter
John Cena continues to insist that he is a steroid-free wrestler. Last week it was revealed that over 100 professional baseball players failed steroid tests in the past few years. The WWE star has very strong opinions about the fate of the violators.
"They should send the guys to jail," Cena said in an interview with Jim Moore of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "I'm not only a guy who will say I'm clean, but I'll beat my chest to the world that I'm clean."
Cena, who is getting married by the end of the year, says that unlike other prominent celebrities, he wants to be a strong leader and role model. "I don't know when it happened, but nowadays it seems like nobody cares (about the lack of role models in society). Our main figures are collapsing around us. People don't seem to know that other people are watching them."
Cena also hopes to spread his reach to the general public through his developmental as an action star. He hopes to fill a void in the movie industry for the next big action hero. "That's a giant void in cinema. Everywhere I go, the question is always: 'Who's the next guy?' I think I'm damn near the closest thing to come around the pike," Cena said.
In the past, Cena has criticized Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for leaving World Wrestling Entertainment to persue a movie career.
John Cena continues to insist that he is a steroid-free wrestler. Last week it was revealed that over 100 professional baseball players failed steroid tests in the past few years. The WWE star has very strong opinions about the fate of the violators.
"They should send the guys to jail," Cena said in an interview with Jim Moore of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "I'm not only a guy who will say I'm clean, but I'll beat my chest to the world that I'm clean."
Cena, who is getting married by the end of the year, says that unlike other prominent celebrities, he wants to be a strong leader and role model. "I don't know when it happened, but nowadays it seems like nobody cares (about the lack of role models in society). Our main figures are collapsing around us. People don't seem to know that other people are watching them."
Cena also hopes to spread his reach to the general public through his developmental as an action star. He hopes to fill a void in the movie industry for the next big action hero. "That's a giant void in cinema. Everywhere I go, the question is always: 'Who's the next guy?' I think I'm damn near the closest thing to come around the pike," Cena said.
In the past, Cena has criticized Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for leaving World Wrestling Entertainment to persue a movie career.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
WrestleMania and budget cuts
WWE has begun taping two SmackDown broadcasts on various Tuesday nights instead of the usual one. This is being done as part of WWE's plan to cut $20 million in expenses from their budget, according to the Wrestling Observer newsletter. That double-taping trend will continue at least until WrestleMania, after which time WWE will evaluate the situation again. ECW shows will continue to be taped on Monday nights along with the live Raw show until February. Eliminating one taping saves WWE almost $700,000 in production expenses. Bruce "Brother Love" Prichard and two developmental talents were released earlier this week due to budget cuts, and more firings are expected. WWE has also cut down on its usage of pyrotechnics to save money, and the referee schedules have been reduced.
Shawn Michaels has pitched the idea of wrestling The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25. Michaels is expected to retire at WrestleMania 26.
More information has been released about the upcoming video game Legends Of WrestleMania. The roster features a total of 40 wrestlers and managers including Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, Jerry Lawler, The Undertaker, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Mr. Perfect and Ted Dibiase Sr. Yokozuna and The Ultimate Warrior have been rumored as appearing in the game, but that has not yet been confirmed by a reliable source. The cover art for the game also features images of Steve Austin, The Rock, Bobby Heenan and Jimmy Hart. Jimmy Hart is expected to be cut from the roster due to his involvement with CCW. He was already pulled from the non-virtual WrestleMania tour. The game is scheduled for a March, 2009 release.
Shawn Michaels has pitched the idea of wrestling The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25. Michaels is expected to retire at WrestleMania 26.
More information has been released about the upcoming video game Legends Of WrestleMania. The roster features a total of 40 wrestlers and managers including Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, Jerry Lawler, The Undertaker, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Mr. Perfect and Ted Dibiase Sr. Yokozuna and The Ultimate Warrior have been rumored as appearing in the game, but that has not yet been confirmed by a reliable source. The cover art for the game also features images of Steve Austin, The Rock, Bobby Heenan and Jimmy Hart. Jimmy Hart is expected to be cut from the roster due to his involvement with CCW. He was already pulled from the non-virtual WrestleMania tour. The game is scheduled for a March, 2009 release.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The Rock
Wrestling journalist Tommy Fierro recently wrote in a column that he believes wrestling stars from the 1980's are more well-known and fondly remembered by the general public than wrestling's modern performers. Fierro said that in his opinion the reason for this is because the wrestlers in the 1980's WWF had character, which is something he believes the WWE lacks in 2008. Looking at The Rock's new DVD, I can't help but agree with him.
The Rock was one of the biggest things in wrestling (and mainstream pop culture) only a few short years ago. We all wore the t-shirts and shouted the catch-phrases. Now Dwayne Johnson is out in Hollywood not entertaining sold out arenas, and I know I'm not the only fan who wishes The Rock could (finally) come back to Raw. Sure I still enjoy many wrestlers on the current WWE roster, but none of them are very memorable from one week to the next. None of them leap through the screen and grab your attention the way The Rock did. These days, WWE wrestlers all follow a very precise script. If you've been watching wrestling for any length of time you can more or less guess what will happen the next time you see your favorite WWE superstar.
Dwayne Johnson followed a script too. In fact his emergence in popularity started right around the same time that the WWF writers started scripting their TV shows down to the very last minuscule detail. So why is an overly-scripted Rock so popular while modern stars fail to connect as strongly with the audience?
Answer: The Character.
John Cena isn't the white rapper anymore, which is what made his character popular in the first place. Now, without that aspect to his character, he continues to get booed in arenas across the country. C.M. Punk has a character, but it isn't emphasized in any of his angles. Compare that to Chris Jericho, who is currently a heel with a legitimate point to his anger. When Jericho announced that the "good guys" had won in reference to injuring Shawn Michaels, a portion of the crowd cheered and the entire audience had some kind of a reaction. There's a reason for that.
The Rock's new DVD The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man In Sports-Entertainment is loaded with Rock promos and matches that will make you long for the Attitude Era of WWF/WWE wrestling. It's not just Rocky that will entertain you though. It's the people he's wrestling. Mick Foley, DX, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, The Hurricane, Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Guys who were characters! I encourage all my readers to pick up this DVD and re-live some classic wrestling moments that remind us all why we're fans in the first place. Or, if you've never seen The Rock in a pro wrestling context, do yourself a favor and get this DVD immediately! The Rock's new DVD only costs $18.99 (around $13.00 if you get it used) from our good friends over at Amazon AND it's eligible for free shpping! WWE wants you to pay $19.62 plus shipping (more if you get a combo deal). Tell those WWE shop guys to take their overpriced package deal, turn that sumbitch sideways, and stick it straight up their candy asses! Help support this Web site and click the link below to purchase The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man In Sports-Entertainment from Amazon.
That is, if you smell what The Rock is cooking. Otherwise...Well, I guess you could always go watch some TNA or something.
The Rock was one of the biggest things in wrestling (and mainstream pop culture) only a few short years ago. We all wore the t-shirts and shouted the catch-phrases. Now Dwayne Johnson is out in Hollywood not entertaining sold out arenas, and I know I'm not the only fan who wishes The Rock could (finally) come back to Raw. Sure I still enjoy many wrestlers on the current WWE roster, but none of them are very memorable from one week to the next. None of them leap through the screen and grab your attention the way The Rock did. These days, WWE wrestlers all follow a very precise script. If you've been watching wrestling for any length of time you can more or less guess what will happen the next time you see your favorite WWE superstar.
Dwayne Johnson followed a script too. In fact his emergence in popularity started right around the same time that the WWF writers started scripting their TV shows down to the very last minuscule detail. So why is an overly-scripted Rock so popular while modern stars fail to connect as strongly with the audience?
Answer: The Character.
John Cena isn't the white rapper anymore, which is what made his character popular in the first place. Now, without that aspect to his character, he continues to get booed in arenas across the country. C.M. Punk has a character, but it isn't emphasized in any of his angles. Compare that to Chris Jericho, who is currently a heel with a legitimate point to his anger. When Jericho announced that the "good guys" had won in reference to injuring Shawn Michaels, a portion of the crowd cheered and the entire audience had some kind of a reaction. There's a reason for that.
The Rock's new DVD The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man In Sports-Entertainment is loaded with Rock promos and matches that will make you long for the Attitude Era of WWF/WWE wrestling. It's not just Rocky that will entertain you though. It's the people he's wrestling. Mick Foley, DX, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, The Hurricane, Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Guys who were characters! I encourage all my readers to pick up this DVD and re-live some classic wrestling moments that remind us all why we're fans in the first place. Or, if you've never seen The Rock in a pro wrestling context, do yourself a favor and get this DVD immediately! The Rock's new DVD only costs $18.99 (around $13.00 if you get it used) from our good friends over at Amazon AND it's eligible for free shpping! WWE wants you to pay $19.62 plus shipping (more if you get a combo deal). Tell those WWE shop guys to take their overpriced package deal, turn that sumbitch sideways, and stick it straight up their candy asses! Help support this Web site and click the link below to purchase The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man In Sports-Entertainment from Amazon.
That is, if you smell what The Rock is cooking. Otherwise...Well, I guess you could always go watch some TNA or something.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Naked Vickie, The Rock, and buying my old crap!
It's a pretty slow day for wrestling news, but I've come across a few tidbits I couldn't help but share.
There's a rather frightening rumor going around about Vickie Guerrero posing nude in an upcoming magazine layout. Reports of this are unconfirmed and also most likely untrue. The magazine mentioned was something other than Playboy, who WWE has had a good working relationship with in the past. If Guerrero were to pose for anyone it would likely be them, and even then I highly doubt it's going to happen. Then again, this is the same company who thought lots of people really wanted to see Chyna naked.
Natalya Neidhart told friends that both Vince and Stephanie McMahon requested her to change her hair color because they thought she looked too similar to Beth Phoenix. Neidhart is naturally a brunette.
Former TNA wrestler Ron "The Truth" Killings is scheduled to be called up to the SmackDown roster any week now.
Fans of The Rock may want to think twice before purchasing his new DVD. That is, if you care about old footage not being completely authentic. As usual the WWF logo is blurred out. However, this DVD also has a few other things missing. References to "WWF" are bleeped (which I know has been done on a few other DVDs since the name change, but not all of them), and during many of Rock's promos they have totally muted the announcers' talking.
In personal wrestling news, my bank account is much lower than I remember it being the last time I checked. In an attempt to make this better, I've decided to sell off some of my old wrestling merchandise. Some of the items for sale include:
A talking Diamond Dallas Page Wrestling Buddy plush doll! WWE has released a similar product featuring its stars. Now you can pit them against DDP in a WWF/E versus WCW dream match! It may need new batteries, as its been years since I've actually used the thing.
A 1990 WWF trading card of the late, great Miss Elizabeth. The card has held up well over time and lists Miss Liz as managing Hulk Hogan. Great for collectors or fans of "The First Lady Of Wrestling."
Various wrestling action figures. Some in the box, some not. Okay, most not.
Various wrestling and non-wrestling VHS tapes. The latest in modern technology! Come on guys. I know our technology grows too fast, but I can't be the only one who still converts VHS to DVD or some other current media, can I?
The book "I was a teenage professional wrestler."
Jesse Ventura's book "I Ain't Got Time To Bleed."
Various WWF/WWE and WCW magazines.
If interested in buying any of these items from me, or if you just want to comment privately to me concerning my blog, e-mail me at: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com.
Here's hoping for another great episode of Raw.
There's a rather frightening rumor going around about Vickie Guerrero posing nude in an upcoming magazine layout. Reports of this are unconfirmed and also most likely untrue. The magazine mentioned was something other than Playboy, who WWE has had a good working relationship with in the past. If Guerrero were to pose for anyone it would likely be them, and even then I highly doubt it's going to happen. Then again, this is the same company who thought lots of people really wanted to see Chyna naked.
Natalya Neidhart told friends that both Vince and Stephanie McMahon requested her to change her hair color because they thought she looked too similar to Beth Phoenix. Neidhart is naturally a brunette.
Former TNA wrestler Ron "The Truth" Killings is scheduled to be called up to the SmackDown roster any week now.
Fans of The Rock may want to think twice before purchasing his new DVD. That is, if you care about old footage not being completely authentic. As usual the WWF logo is blurred out. However, this DVD also has a few other things missing. References to "WWF" are bleeped (which I know has been done on a few other DVDs since the name change, but not all of them), and during many of Rock's promos they have totally muted the announcers' talking.
In personal wrestling news, my bank account is much lower than I remember it being the last time I checked. In an attempt to make this better, I've decided to sell off some of my old wrestling merchandise. Some of the items for sale include:
A talking Diamond Dallas Page Wrestling Buddy plush doll! WWE has released a similar product featuring its stars. Now you can pit them against DDP in a WWF/E versus WCW dream match! It may need new batteries, as its been years since I've actually used the thing.
A 1990 WWF trading card of the late, great Miss Elizabeth. The card has held up well over time and lists Miss Liz as managing Hulk Hogan. Great for collectors or fans of "The First Lady Of Wrestling."
Various wrestling action figures. Some in the box, some not. Okay, most not.
Various wrestling and non-wrestling VHS tapes. The latest in modern technology! Come on guys. I know our technology grows too fast, but I can't be the only one who still converts VHS to DVD or some other current media, can I?
The book "I was a teenage professional wrestler."
Jesse Ventura's book "I Ain't Got Time To Bleed."
Various WWF/WWE and WCW magazines.
If interested in buying any of these items from me, or if you just want to comment privately to me concerning my blog, e-mail me at: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com.
Here's hoping for another great episode of Raw.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)