The Original WWE Nexus 8: Where Are They Now?
7. Heath Slater
Heath Slater, on reflection, managed to have the best WWE career possible (for Heath Slater).
Even in the force of destruction that was the original stable, the fresh-faced Slater stood out, and not in a particularly good way. The guy looked like he was carved to play a comedy jobber role, and play a comedy jobber role he soon did - to at times delightful effect.
There was something very grating about Slater. Maybe it was that dopey voice, and its strange ability to overcome the glottal stop, or that daft face, but Slater simply presented himself as a very stupid man, and when his mouth invariably landed him in trouble, watching somebody forcibly close it was good midcard stuff. His pronunciation of the word 'Why?' ("Wha?") often caused Michael Cole to stifle a p*ss-fit of laughter, for Slater was genuinely, brilliantly obnoxious.
But Slater was never Ellsworth-level detestable. His beaming, ever-optimistic face attracted a degree of sympathy. He was just trying his deluded best out there. There wasn't a malicious bone in his body; just a misapprehension of his own ability level that grew to become endearing.
And so, from the quality RAW 1000 bit to AH GOT KIDS!, Slater became a cherished mainstay of the WWE fabric, even if he exists now in Main Event no man's land.