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Rebecca Cerese

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REBECCA'S RANTS

Hey all! My schedule is crazy this week, plus despite all of the big happenings in wrestling this week, I am having a hint of writer's block so I am just going to wing it. I want to apologize to Sharon in advance for stealing part of her column idea, but I think it is important enough to write about...and that is the sponsors bailing out of WWF programming due to pressure from the PTC which obviously stands for (maniacal) People (who need) Total Control (over our lives). Sharon and I have exchanged many an email on the subject, but now I will voice it here.

Ok, I am the first to admit that perhaps some of the "issues" explored on Smackdown are not appropriate for children, but honestly that is not the point here. The real point is that PARENTS are the one's who need to take responsibility for raising their own children and not leave it up to Vince McMahon and Company to raise them. The only responsibility Vince McMahon has is to give the majority of his viewers what they want to see in order to continue making his company more profitable. This is Vince McMahon's job. If you as a parent do not like what the WWF is putting on TV, here's a concept...don't let your kids watch it...or even better yet, if your kids are intent on watching it, or have watched it in the past, then how about sitting down with your child and TALK TO HIM OR HER (I know yet another concept that is foreign to so many parents) about what he/she is watching. Put the images into some kind of context that they can understand so that they won't be attempting to give piledrivers to their 3 year old sibling, or giving crotch chops to their teachers. Kids are very open to learning. If you explain to them that what they are watching is not real, it is not acceptable behavior in the real world, they will understand it. If they don't understand it than don't let them watch it.

I am a 25 year old woman who has the mental faculties to choose what I want to watch on television. I don't always agree with everything I see on the WWF programs (I find the Godfather and his "lady friends" especially repellant) but I will be the first to admit I LOVE WRESTLING. The PTC is using their muscles to scare the WWF into toning down their product, changing what we love about the WWF...this is CENSORSHIP. The scary thing is its working. Already many very big sponsors have caved into the pressure and pulled their ad spots from Smackdown. I say shame on them for being bullied around. And now it seems that the WWF may be caving in as well, promising to tone down what we have come to love in order to try and regain these sponsors. Honestly, it think Vince and Company should say really loudly...SCREW THAT! WE AIN'T CHANGING A DAMN THING ABOUT OUR PRODUCT AND IF YOU SPONSORS WANT TO PULL OUT ITS YOUR LOSS. The WWF are really in the drivers seat here because they have the fan base, they have the several million viewers aka "consumers," who these sponsors are no longer reaching. And even if the WWF has to rely on every new video game that comes out to fill up commercial time during Smackdown, I say better that than to cave to the right wing conservatives who want to dictate what we should or should not be viewing. What's next? Telling us what we should be reading, what music we should be listening to, what we should be wearing, what god to believe in. Imagine if CRZ censored our columns, only allowed us to write what he thought was acceptable. I mean what if he didn't think it was appropriate for Cyanindigo to write about her breasts? What would all of you guys do then? But seriously, folks, the danger of censorship is that once it begins, it is almost impossible to draw a line, that is why it is important that these people are not given any real power over us or our lives. Vince has always played it his way for better or for worse, and I think to change that now would be a huge mistake. Of course this is just my opinion the subject.

Now onto wrestling thoughts:

Ok, I couldn't help but notice in CyanIndigo's column, that she has suddenly done an about face concerning one very angry unmarried groom Andrew "Test" Martin. I don't know why she changed her mind, but I have a strong suspicion it has something to do with him being Canadian. No I am not saying she is so shallow as to only like Canadians but it is pretty apparent that in the world of wrestling, Canadian = amazing wrestlers...I mean everyone knows how I feel about Christian (the man is one of the most technically sound wrestlers on the WWF roster...and he happens to look incredible in a tux LOL!), Edge isn't to bad himself, and despite the fact that I don't really like Val Venis, the man knows his moves, and of course there is Chris Jericho, who is a technical master. Which leaves Test. I have been impressed with Test since his first match. Since then he has only gotten better in and out of the ring. Being in this huge romance/wedding storyline hasn't hurt either. And now with HHH stealing away literally with his woman, I fully expect Test to go on the warpath and quickly go to the next level, which is a good thing, considering the Main event picture in the WWF is quickly dwindling.

You know many people (including myself) have been hard on the WWF in recent weeks. I mean the whole few weeks surrounding the Survivor Series left a lot to be desired for sure, but considering some of the huge blows that the WWF has suffered recently, the fact that they still can deliver any kind of entertaining programming is commendable. I mean I know that Stone Cold was getting a little old the last few months leading up to Survivor Series, but the loss of the Rattlesnake is a huge blow. Couple that with the injuries to the Undertaker and Ken Shamrock (hell I still miss him), the impending retirement of resident hardcore legend Mankind the loss of half their writing staff, and that is a lot for a company to snap back from. I'm not saying that the WWF is over or anything like that, but there is definitely going to be some down time where the WWF is going to have to figure out what to do to keep the fans coming back for more. I mean they can't fall back on Austin vs. McMahon right now, they have to come up with a new game plan.

I know the Rock is hugely over, but they need more than just the Rock. One of the main reasons that Austin got so huge is that he had McMahon to play off of. The Rock isn't embroiled in any rivalry like this. He does have the Rock n Sock connection which I really love, but this still doesn't equal the McMahon vs. Austin thing. Don't get me wrong I love this storyline with Al Snow, but I certainly don't see Al Snow vs. Rock as the Main Event for Wrestlemania 2000. This is one of the reasons I am so excited about Test. I feel that this rivalry with HHH can be both great and long. I mean HHH basically drugged and kidnapped his fiancé and then while she was unconscious married her and did god only knows what else. Now this is the beginning of a great rivalry!

Now I am going to comment on the wedding:

First and foremost: I LOVED CHRISTIAN IN A TUX!! Hell I thought all the men looked really good in their formal wear.

I love how Test walked down the aisle (ramp) to his own entrance theme.

What the hell was up with that absolutely heinous song!! I mean it was bad, and those two people couldn't sing it either. The whole time I was wondering, is this supposed to be god awful, or are these two people really trying to sound good. I mean this song was almost as bad as Mark Henry's lame excuse for a poem on Sunday Night Heat! I said ALMOST...the poem (and I use the term loosely) was still worse.

I did like the Test and Stephanie reaction shots though. Test looked like he was going to vomit from the song, and Stephanie kept laughing.

I loved how many people in the audience were against the wedding and were holding up signs for Test to JUST SAY NO! That's wrestling fans for ya, a bunch of hopeless romantics.

I loved how HHH had a flower in his leather jacket.

I loved when he came out after his little wedding video wearing the wedding ring.

I thought Stephanie did a great job of crying her eyes out. The more she cried the more I was laughing hysterically.

And of course I loved the whole "its not if but how many times we consummated the marriage line" accompanied by the obligatory crotch chop to visually describe exactly what he meant by consummate.

Basically I loved the wedding and thought it came off great. I was very surprised and pleased by the outcome esp. since I feel this will definitely propel Test further into the main event picture, where he will do very well I predict.

Other random notes, and then I have to go:

Dudley's and the Acolytes Poker game...give me more. Line of the night belongs to Bubbah Ray: You don't know me well enough to stick anything up my ass". Classic. And I for one can't wait for these epic battles between these two awesome teams.

Barbara Bush...please. This chick makes Steve Blackman look like the freakin Rock on the mike. Maybe it was just nerves, but somehow I think we have another bimbo in the ranks.

Mini Kane rant: Why the hell does Kane continue to job out all over the place while X-Puke reigns supreme. Is there no justice in the world? Kane needs to get a hold of that little punk and ring his neck. Why does Kane hesitate. Is Tori that bimbo clouding his judgment? Than get rid of her...bye bye. Besides, if I have to see her grab onto him during his opening and put back her head in that pseudo sexy way again, I will PUKE. (Yes there is definitely a little jealousy there).

I was ecstatic to see X-Puke finally get the boos he deserves from the crowd.

I don't know if any of you caught the WWF's Greatest Hits on UPN but this was one finely produced work. Besides introducing any potential new viewers to the top guys in the WWF, it gave a great look back at some of the reasons that I love the WWF. That and the AWESOME commentary from Al Snow and Mankind made this hour extremely enjoyable and entertaining. I hope Mankind can take this kind of commentating role when he retires from in-ring action. This guy just cracks me up. Between the Al Snow and Steve Blackman jokes, he had me laughing aloud more than once.

Ok, I really need to go, I am going to be late for my second job. Sorry this week's column is so disjointed, but I was in a serious rush. Hope you enjoy it anyway, and as usual any and all commentary is welcome. See ya.

Rebecca Cerese
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