Rewatching The Last Wrestling Show To Beat WWE Raw In The Ratings
6. Judy Bagwell
If ever there was a warning sign that WCW was about to step into dangerous territory, it was the moment that they introduced Judy Bagwell to wrestling fans.
On the October 26, 1998 Nitro, we not only got Buff Bagwell strutting about doing Buff Bagwell things, we also had to put up with his mother Judy getting some interview time. To be fair, one thing Judy absolutely nails is how she tells Gene that she's had enough of Buff - as so, too, had wrestling fans already long since had enough of Buff Daddy.
Judy Bagwell is likely a lovely lady, yet her presence on WCW programming remains one of the biggest sticks with which people hit Ted Turner's company. Judy Bagwell on a forklift, Viagra on a pole, Tank Abbott pulling a knife, and David Arquette as WCW Champion are just a select handful of go-to reference points for those bashing WCW and pinpointing its demise.
As a wrestling character, Judy Bagwell never worked. Still, WCW continued to feature her on its television programming, regardless of how audiences reacted to storylines involving Judy. In some respect, that's a little like what WWE does these days - with WWE so often ignoring the response of its passionate fan base.