By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2010

-- After our report last week bringing to attention ABC News posting one version of their Linda McMahon interview and posting a second "transcript" that excluded McMahon's response to a key Wellness Policy question, ABC News responded that the transcript was "edited for brevity." (Read their response on the Hartford Courant.)

Apparently ABC is short on budget money for bandwidth or they simply don't know their subject well-enough to understand that any answer McMahon provides about the Wellness Policy and "occupational health hazards" in WWE is one of the most important issues that needs to be addressed.

The same ABC News reporter who joked about arm-wrestling Linda McMahon had five questions along these lines included in the transcript - "Do you worry that when voters see those videos [of old WWE wrestling moments on YouTube, which feature McMahon] that they think, 'Well, this woman is a joke?"

ABC News and their assigned reporter missed the boat on the real issues of getting more information from McMahon on why "it took a while to get into focusing on all these particular issues" - which were McMahon's own words. ABC simply blew the report and claiming McMahon's only response was "edited for brevity" on their website simply doesn't fly on the Internet.

-- In another piece of McMahon news, the former WWE CEO has agreed to disclose more details on her campaign vendors after reporting an "excessive amount" of in-kind payments without disclosing the recipients. "The Day" news outlet pushed for more disclosure and McMahon has agreed. The campaign of Linda McMahon... said it will comply with a letter from the Federal Election Commission ordering it to disclose the identities of vendors who received more than $567,000 in payments from the candidate last year. Read "The Day's" follow-up report.

-- Jason Powell on Prowrestling.net has a report today that Vince Russo's job is safe for now as TNA writer. Meanwhile, he's giving himself enough rope to hang himself as a wrestling booker with his near-daily Facebook answers to fan questions.

Scary Point #1 - Russo doesn't watch anyone else's wrestling to understand what else is out there in the market. What's WWE doing right that TNA could incorporate into their product? What's WWE doing wrong that TNA could be better at to grab viewers or create a competitive advantage? Who's hot in ROH that could be worth incorporating into a TNA storyline?

Scary Point #2 - He's not familiar with Shelton Benjamin's work. That means he hasn't been paying attention to what else is out there in the wrestling market for a long time. That's a big bubble to be inside without understanding the market or what wrestling fans are being exposed to in addition to TNA programming.

Scary Point #3 - He doesn't understand why you protect the cage match gimmick, especially when TNA has an entire PPV dedicated to the cage match. No, there isn't a "written rule" about not being able to have a DQ in a cage, but you just don't do DQs in a cage. The cage is the ultimate decision-maker when a feud culminates. Every feud that ends up in a steel cage should have a decisive winner and loser. Of course, this is the same company that throws out cage matches on free TV hype with no hype for no reason whatsoever at the beginning of a feud or even when a feud does not exist.

If Russo understood the very basics of what works in pro wrestling, then perhaps he would be able to effectively incorporate his style of writing into TNA's TV product. But, these three scary points should be concerning to TNA management. We will assuredly see more scary points as Russo continues to answer questions to promote his new book, while he continues to expose himself for not understanding the fundamentals of the wrestling business or understanding what else is out there in the marketplace.

WWE News Bits

-- Wrestling author Irv Muchnick posted his take on Randy Orton's alleged assault, focusing on Orton's history of misbehavior as the "poster boy" for criticism of WWE's Wellness Policy.

-- Colt Cabana has an interview with MSN.com promoting a new comedy tour he's starting in Chicago and talking about his WWE release one year ago. Great interview worth reading through. Here's a key quote with insight into the WWE environment.

"I did have a lot of creative freedom (with the WWE.com show) and wrote and produced the thing myself. I pitched a lot of ideas to WWE, for example a WWE Talk Soup type show. With WWE, you have to tell a writer your idea, and then they tell another writer above them. Then it goes to a producer, then an agent, before it gets to Vince (McMahon) it's like a game of telephone. It stops even being your idea," Cabana said. "A lot of guys won't speak up out of fear of losing their job. You're walking on eggshells, which is a horrible way to be in the workplace. But that's the mood you're in when you're there."

-- "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson has an interview with MTV.com talking about an upcoming movie called "The Other Guys" that's a return to the adult action/comedy genre after doing several family comedy movies. "The movie’s funny. I saw some footage the other day. It’s awesome," Johnson said. "The action is fantastic; it holds up in a great, great way. And of course, the comedy is great. You’re gonna dig it."

-- WWE's Big Show was profiled by the Sun News in South Carolina for his work demolishing a home yesterday as part of the TV filming for an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Good story detailing Show's interaction with the family that was receiving a new home as part of the makeover.

-- Monday's Raw guest host Mike Tyson will be in the U.K. in March as part of a promotional/speaking tour. Yes, Tyson will be giving a speech. He will be at Ellesmere Port Civic Hall in the U.K. on March 14. Details on the tour.

-- WWE announced a partnership with Stored Value Solutions to offer WWE-themed gift cards and promotional cards featuring WWE wrestlers on the cards. Read the press release.

TNA News Bits

-- The U.K. Sun posted wedding photos from TNA wrestler Kazarian and TNA Knockout Traci Brooks's recent wedding. A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe were groomsmen while Daniels served as the best man. WWE diva Gail Kim and TNA Knockouts Christy Hemme and So Cal Val accompanied Traci.

ROH/Misc. News Bits

-- Ring of Honor booker/former NWA World champion Adam Pearce recorded a promo for the NWA's return to Charlotte on February 14. Pearce tapped into the old-school promo-style with a Southern accent/tone inflection for his promo for the show.


Former NWA Champ Promises New Beginnings!

NWA: New Beginnings! | MySpace Video

-- There is video of UFC fighter Tom Lawlor coming out to Hulk Hogan's "I Am Real American" theme song at the UFC Fight Night special Monday night on Spike TV. Apparently the intro didn't make air, but Lawlor is great doing the Hogan mannerisms playing to the crowd.

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