Swole talks about representation issues with AEW

[SpacelySprockets]

im not even a part of this dumbass stan war bullshyt, ive been accused of being both a shill for WWE and AEW on different occasions all because I speak my opinions on different topics that may or not be favorable depending on what it is because I have no loyalty or allegiance to these companies

that being said, I TOLD nikkas swole leaving AEW was more than just her crohns disease situation and the same brigade of AEW dikkeaters put their cape on and tried to make me seem like an obsessed a$$hole for suggesting that was a false narrative and there was more to it, ive literally been in twitter spaces where big swole was there talking shyt about the bucks and other personnel and how nobody in AEW had her back about different things while her friends were dissing them for the lack of diversity, this wasnt a secret and it was only a matter of time especially with her not getting TV time

cant wait to see how they spin shyt now

 

[KFBF]

There are some people who, while not necessarily needing every word scripted for them, would probably benefit from someone in the company who could help them cultivate a gimmick and give them tips on how to deliver a promo and whatnot.
I don't think that any company should hire Hollywood writers to write bad sitcom scripts for the wrestlers but there should be folks to assist people in the creative aspects of wrestling because some people are just good at the wrestling part and none of the character stuff.

You're probably right but I feel like the business has skewed way too heavily towards the people that can do flips and headlocks really well but don't have an ounce of charisma or the it factor. Not saying that's the case here but it's why I wanted more info about what she wanted writing wise.

 

[Starboy52]

She's not wrong, and this coming out on the heels of Brandi's... whatever the fukk it was, is good.

Brandi is the only Black person/Woman in management (Assuming her title isn't a hollow one), and her voice isn't necessarily the one that should be representative of our race, nor her gender. Khan has done good in giving AEW some semblance of order since he took over duties from Cody & The Elite, but there have to be changes made next year. Both with the talent and how they're presented, and with management and how everything from him downward is structured.

People are gonna come at Swole sideways for saying what she said, but it's clear she didn't come from a place of bitterness or anger. This has been coming for a long time with people she fukks with and close friends repeatedly pointing out these very concerns she's laid out over and over again. This is someone who clearly loved the people she worked with, and the industry she worked with and wants them to do better and live up to the expectations they themselves set from jump

 

[SCJoe]

I feel like most of the black talent in AEW was either too young or too green. Riho, Shida and Sammy are all either Japanese or Hispanic. Does she mean Black talent when she says diversity? Niya held the woman's belt for a while and people were still talking about diversity. What male talent was out there at the time that could carry a company that wasn't already scooped by WWE?

 

[Rollie Forbes]

She's not wrong, and this coming out on the heels of Brandi's... whatever the fukk it was, is good.

Brandi is the only Black person/Woman in management (Assuming her title isn't a hollow one), and her voice isn't necessarily the one that should be representative of our race, nor her gender. Khan has done good in giving AEW some semblance of order since he took over duties from Cody & The Elite, but there have to be changes made next year. Both with the talent and how they're presented, and with management and how everything from him downward is structured.

People are gonna come at Swole sideways for saying what she said, but it's clear she didn't come from a place of bitterness or anger. This has been coming for a long time with people she fukks with and close friends repeatedly pointing out these very concerns she's laid out over and over again. This is someone who clearly loved the people she worked with, and the industry she worked with and wants them to do better and live up to the expectations they themselves set from jump

That's the unfortunate truth. Hopefully, Swole's honesty about her experiences doesn't cost her (or Cedric by association) opportunities in the future.

 

[Arizax2]

The older I got and the more I experience I gained in the work force I realized how important diversity really is. I'm not a fan of Swole but she is correct. I'm sure Khan didn't think to much about this when he started AEW and he went out and signed the EVPs because he just wanted to start a wrestling company but it may be time to shake things up. It's already known that Cody doesn't get along with the Bucks anymore and Khan is pretty much writing the whole show on his own. Is there a need to keep these guys as EVPs anymore? Khan seems like a bright guy so he might want to get ahead of this and seriously come up with a plan regarding having women and people with different backgrounds in management roles. Right now they have CBO Brandy but she is not looked at favorably.

 

[richaveli83]

She was on point with everything she said.

 

[Metal Face]

she speaking fax

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

Some of us knew it was more than Crohns disease. Even your marsupial can still fight through the shyt with some steroids and leaves.

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

And that says it all.

I hope this doesn't blackball her either.

I doubt she will get blackballed. If ACH can do his thing and he's bat shyt insane on some Coli breh shyt, she'll be alright.

This is why Master P and Steve Harvey needs to fund the culture

 

[avon barksdale]

Take your ass to next then and see how they treat you

 

[FitzgeraldThomasGrant III]

Swole continued, explaining how her daughter helped her recognize even more that there was a lack of representation in AEW.

"I knew something was up when my daughter, who loves watching wrestling, she would watch AEW all the time and seldomly watch WWE. She's not a big fan unless dad [Cedric Alexander] was on TV, which stopped happening after they botched the Hurt Business. She would say, 'Mommy, there is nobody that looks like me on AEW. There's nobody that looks like daddy.' Then she started watching WWE because she saw Bianca and Big E. She saw herself represented. If that wasn't a 'click.' 'You are absolutely right. I don't have an explanation.' It's 2021. Why are people saying, 'it'll take three years for AEW to have a black champ'? This is a scripted sport. It should not take that long if you have been watching WWE for 50+ years and you know what not to do," she said.

Bingo!!!

 

[Redguard]

The older I got and the more I experience I gained in the work force I realized how important diversity really is. I'm not a fan of Swole but she is correct. I'm sure Khan didn't think to much about this when he started AEW and he went out and signed the EVPs because he just wanted to start a wrestling company but it may be time to shake things up. It's already known that Cody doesn't get along with the Bucks anymore and Khan is pretty much writing the whole show on his own. Is there a need to keep these guys as EVPs anymore? Khan seems like a bright guy so he might want to get ahead of this and seriously come up with a plan regarding having women and people with different backgrounds in management roles. Right now they have CBO Brandy but she is not looked at favorably.

Brandi and Cody both need to go.

Brandi isn't fit to be Chief Brand Officer, and Cody thinks he is star when he is a midcard talent at best.

Plus all of Cody's storylines seem to be separate from everyone else.

 

[Finn Baller]

I'd like more details about what her expectation is for "writing". I'm kind of the opinion that if you need someone to write for you in this business you just don't have it. Should probably go be a gymnast, crossfit celebrity, or stunt person. The shyt she's saying about the lack of diversity is totally valid. As a general policy though I never believe parents when they claim there kids said something in order to advance their point.

I gotta disagree with you there breh (unless you're referring just to the promo side of things, in which there I mostly agree with you) and that's one of my biggest criticisms of AEW and Tony Khan right now. He doesn't have a creative bone in his body, he has come up with 0 interesting original characters.

Mean Mark Callous came to WWF and became the Undertaker
Glenn Jacobs was Unabomb in Smoky Mountain, came to WWF and became Isaac Yankem (flop) Fake Diesel (flop) and then Kane
"The Natural" Dustin Rhodes came to WWF and became Goldust
Cactus Jack became Mankind
Sean Morley was "Steele" in Mexico under a mask and became Val Venis

I can't say for sure just how much individual input the wrestlers themselves had in coming up with those gimmicks, but the bottom line is they made a character/gimmick that elevated each of those guys to something new.

in AEW every wrestler comes in exactly as they were in the indies, same name same gear etc. Sometimes it takes a booker going "The Cactus Jack character is okay but we have this in mind" or "We want you to be known for something other than being Dusty Rhodes's son" and creating a character for a talent to take them to the next level.

 

[Redguard]

Ricky Starks or Powerhouse Hobbs should be holding the TNT title right now.

Hobbs should have been the person to beat Miro in September instead of Sammy.