7 Huge Ways WWE Has Changed In The 7 Years Since CM Punk’s Pipe Bomb
4. "Glad-handed, Nonsensical, Douchebag Yes Men, Like John Laurinaitis."
Less of a change and more of an adjustment, as it turns out.
John Laurinaits' outing as one of Vince McMahon's real stooges by 'The Voice Of The Voiceless' was yet another targeting of a well-known figure to an audience ready to share in Punk's disdain.
To savvy internet users, he was the former 'Johnny Ace', the "future endeavours d*ckhead" who often "had nothing for" talent that deserved far more than just the 'creative' they were sorely lacking. Punk's loathing instantly brought the character to life, with his gimmicked authority figure getting splattered across the product for years in the aftermath.
Behind the scenes, Laurinaitis was being shunted out of his spot of Executive Vice President of Talent Relations as part of a substantial power shift involving one of the other key characters from Punk's mammoth monologue. He did manage to keep his glad-hand in just about - 'Big Johnny' has worked as a road agent since 2013, and can still be seen occasionally somehow wielding pitiful power over the performers as a silent observer on WWE 24 specials. Laurinaitis wasn't bad in the shark tank of the backstage area, but even he couldn't play 'The Game'...