10 Wrestling Promo Lines That Were WAY Too Personal
4. Paige Is Scripted To Say Something Unconscionable
Wrestling fans are far more savvy about the process these days.
They always knew it was a work, but were more prepared to believe in it all once upon a time. Nobody gives a sh*t about being earnest anymore. The modern generation of largely millennial fans know the craic. They know that virtually everything that comes out a performer's mouth - most of the time - is either scripted by a writer or has been agreed-upon in a WhatsApp message.
This is why revolting cheap heat very, very rarely works. The ultimate insult is just something to get "the marks" to say "Oooh".
Former WWE Managing Lead Writer Tom Cassiello claimed that the idea for Paige to bring up the death of Charlotte Flair's brother, Reid, ahead of a match in 2015, was Charlotte's own. Paige was forced to say that Reid had little fight in him. Ric talked around the issue on his podcast, not wishing to get Charlotte in bother, but seemed to indicate - that's an inference - that she couldn't say no. Dave Meltzer wrote in the November 30, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter that both of Reid's parents were "furious".
Regardless, this sparked a very ugly situation, in which Paige received heavy flak and Ric, still grieving - he will never stop grieving - was naturally all over the place and distressed when he learned of the promo line.
Not one soul was interested in the match, Paige was vilified for no reason, and grieving parents were devastated.
"We put smiles on people's faces."