WWE manager makes TMZ for the wrong reasons
WWE under fire for controversial joke.
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When recapping WWE Monday Night Raw, we thought we heard Abraham Washington aka A.W. say a tasteless joke that's more outdated, offensive, and unnecessary than most.
We heard right--and couldn't believe it. According to WrestlingObserver.com's Dave Meltzer, neither could WWE officials backstage. Rape jokes aren't funny and comparing Titus O'Neil's offense in his match with Kofi Kingston to Kobe Bryant's 2003 rape case is.....
Not smart.
We were told that people were furious backstage and all asking others if AW said what they thought he had said. Bryant was accused at one point of a sexual assault on a woman in a Colorado hotel room in 2003 which was settled out of court. WWE also told told TMZ that the company "has taken appropriate actions in the matter" but didn't specify what that is. AW was said to have immediately apologized to company officials when he went to the back and said he would think more before he spoke.
To WWE's credit, Cole and Lawler apologized on the company's behalf after the commercial break. Lawler also seemed to immediately recognize what A.W. said during the match--and thought the same as most watching at home.
What's worse for A.W. is that he's made TMZ for the wrong reasons. Via TMZ.com:
The WWE has issued an full apology after an on-air personality joked that one of the wrestlers was "like Kobe Bryant at a hotel room in Colorado ... he's unstoppable."
It all went down during a live broadcast of "Monday Night Raw" ... when a manager named Abraham Washington -- who was wearing a live mic -- was ringside for a match involving a wrestler named Titus O'Neil ... and during the action, A.W. let the Kobe crack fly. The comment is an obvious reference to Kobe's 2003 sexual assault case -- when he was accused of raping a woman in his hotel room in Eagle, Colorado.
The accuser eventually reached a settlement with Kobe and dropped her case. A rep for the WWE has issued a statement to TMZ ... telling us, "A.W. made an inappropriate comment and WWE immediately apologized." The rep adds, "WWE has taken appropriate action in the matter." It's unclear what kind of "action" the org. has decided to take. Sources tell us A.W. "felt horrible" after he made the comment ... claimed he simply "got caught up in the moment" ... and realizes the comment could be hurtful to rape victims and their families.
A.W. immediately apologized to WWE honchos, including the McMahon family, and several wrestlers ... and has also vowed to refrain from making similar comments in the future.
