10 Ridiculous Wrestling Gimmicks That Shouldn't Have Worked (But Did)
4. Eugene
Let's not beat around the bush here: literally everything about Eugene was completely offensive. To absolutely nobody’s surprise, WWE’s hideously unsubtle creative team produced one of the most ham-fisted portrayals of mental disability you’ll find in any medium. From his dishevelled appearances to the childlike voice and over-emphasised mannerisms, Eugene’s gimmick should’ve never left the ideas room, yet it did, and the character was briefly a huge success.
Debuting in 2004, Eugene was immediately put under the care of William Regal, and became embroiled in a high-level rivalry with Eric Bischoff, his storyline uncle, from the get-go. With Regal by his side, Eugene became a WWE Tag Team Champion by defeating La Resistance on Raw, and he was able to work with prominent talents like Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, and Muhammed Hassan (another clumsy, clumsy gimmick) through his run with the company.
It’s almost impossible to explain Eugene’s success. Sure, the gimmick eventually ran its course once the novelty factor wore-off and the fans’ attentions drifted away, but he was oddly popular after making his debut. Perhaps his waning success came as a result of fans finally realising how offensive Eugene really was, but really, the gimmick should’ve never reached such heights in the first place.