WWE boss Vince McMahon hit with bias suit over scripts
World Wrestling Entertainment ordered up racially-tinged plot lines for its scripted matches that included having a Muslim wrestler admit he was responsible for 9/11 and another in which a black wrestler was held “captive” in a cage, according to a bombshell lawsuit.
Britney Abrahams, a black writer for WWE’s “Smackdown” and “Monday Night RAW” TV series, alleges she was fired last year in retaliation for her complaints about story pitches which perpetuated “offensively racist and stereotypical jargon,” according to the lawsuit filed in Brooklyn federal court on Monday.
Abrahams’ racial discrimination suit against the WWE and its controversial leader Vince McMahon claims her boss, lead writer Ryan Callahan, pitched the idea of having a Muslim wrestler named Mansoor reveal that he was “behind the 9/11 attacks.”
Another plot line was to have a black wrestler known as “Reggie” held “captive in cages” as he was being “hunted” by the white wrestler Shane Thorne, according to the lawsuit.
Abrahams said she “objected to her superior’s racially motivated misconduct, specifically stating that a gimmick where a white man hunting a black African American man for sport is racist,” the suit said.
When she voiced her objection to Callahan, he is alleged to have laughed and sarcastically replied: “Oh, what? Is that a bad thing?” according to court papers.
Another incident involved Raw women’s champion Bianca Belair, who is black, allegedly scripted to say: “Uh-Uh! Don’t make me take off my earrings and beat your ass!”
A former writer for WWE has filed a racial discrimination suit against the company. Getty Images
Court papers allege that WWE writers pitched a scenario in which Bianca Belair, an African American female wrestler, was allegedly scripted to say: “Uh-Uh! Don’t make me take off my earrings and beat your ass!” Getty Images
In her court filing, Abrahams alleges that the lines are “based upon cruel, ugly stereotypes of dark-skinned, black women.”
Abrahams, who was hired in 2020 and lives in Brooklyn, objected to Callahan about the line, she said.
“I know I’m new, I’m not trying to be disrespectful or step on…anyone’s toes, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that [the Belair] scene includes racial jargon and offensive stereotypes, particularly her go-home line,” Abrahams is alleged to have written in the email to Callahan.
The next day, Belair had written to Abrahams that she had told the senior writers “3 DIFFERENT TIMES THAT I DON’T WANT TO SAY THAT LINE! BUT [Chris Dunn, a senior writer at WWE] NEVER LISTENS TO ME! HE PUTS THAT LINE IN EVERY WEEK,” according to the lawsuit.
Another allegedly pitched scenario involved having a black wrestler Apollo Crews, who is Nigerian-American, speak with a “stereotypical and exaggerated Nigerian accent,” the lawsuit said.
Abrahams claims she was fired for taking home a “WrestleMania 38”-branded chair even though other employees did so as well, according to court papers.
Writers also allegedly pitched a scene in which Apollo Crews speaks with a fake Nigerian accent. Instagram/Apollo Crews
In reality, the incident was used as a pretext to fire her in retaliation for her complaints about racist story pitches, according to court documents.
The Post has reached out to the WWE for comment.
Earlier this month, WWE announced a $21.4 billion merger with Ultimate Fighting Championship’s parent company Endeavor in a move that melds two of the most popular sports and entertainment brands.
Endeavor will have a 51% controlling interest in the new entity while WWE shareholders will retain a 49% stake in the company, which has yet to be named.
Ari Emanuel, the super-agent who runs Endeavor, will be CEO of the company while McMahon will serve as executive chairman.
The 77-year-old McMahon retired from WWE in July amid a sexual harassment and hush-money scandal.
The lawsuit names WWE CEO Vince McMahon and his daughter, Stephanie McMahon (seen in the center with husband Triple H). Zuffa LLC
McMahon returned in January by exercising his power as majority shareholder — pushing his way back on the board of directors as executive chairman in order to oversee a potential sale of the company.
WWE said McMahon paid the company back $17.4 million to cover costs related to an investigation into his alleged misconduct.
Source: New York Post
