8. A Terrible Marine
Remember when The Miz replaced Randy Orton as the star of WWE Studios' The Marine 3? It would have been a blip on the radar, if it wasn't for the reason behind it. Upon hearing the original casting announcement, members of Orton's unit in the (legit!) Marines were incensed. Corporal Mike Vinn even gave a strongly worded
statement: "I am disgusted that his face and the word Marine are being used next to each other -- real or fake -- because of the fact that he quit us, the country, and the Marine Corps. in the role of a Marine is a disgrace to those that have worn and are wearing that uniform." Why so furious? Well, Orton was dishonorably discharged from the Marines in 1999, after going AWOL twice and serving 38 days in military prison for failing to obey an officer. These are the sorts of facts that can't be denied, and to WWE's credit, they faced it head on. A representative for the company told
TMZ, "WWE demonstrated poor judgment in signing Randy Orton for the 3rd installment of the film...Despite Randy's popularity, the fact that he was dishonorably discharged from the USMC made it inappropriate for him to be cast in this film." I'm not sure if it cost WWE too much money, as the re-casting occurred before shooting of the film had begun or any publicity photos had been taken. But the blow to their public relations must have been painful to deal with. Given WWE's long-standing ties with the military, one would think it an especially embarrassing move to insult them with Randy Orton. Their Tribute to the Troops show is an annual spectacular to showcase their special bond with servicemen and women. It is policy that all military personnel get free tickets to WWE shows, AND the National Guard is a frequent sponsor. This is the type of story that explains why Cena would call Orton "bulletproof", and the type of story that ends with The Miz starring in a movie. THANKS RANDY.