So the whole crux of the argument seems to be "Lawler didn't die, therefore its not as big a deal." I fail to see how that makes it OK, myself. If someone gets cancer and survives, does that suddenly mean its cool to rip on them?
No. It's "Lawler has nothing against it and gave his OK, maybe it was probably his idea". Therefore it's not as big a deal. Why should someone say "poor Jerry Lawler" when poor Jerry Lawler is fine with it. Just like last year when Michael Cole made fun of his dead mother who passed away just couple of days earlier and some months later both sit at the announce table and laugh together.
If I don't post here for weeks because of a heart attack and then make a thread in the rants section where I make fun of myself why should someone say "poor DualShock, that guy almost died and now we read this distasteful comments".
Why should the WF staff ban all users who laugh with me in this thread when I was the one who made that thread and encouraged other users to post this?
Look at the celebrity roasts on TV.
It's one thing when someone says that he dislikes these promos (but for some weird reason these are the same people who post in every third post how they want the AE back) but it's something completely different when someone posts that he disliked it because of poor Jerry when poor Jerry obviously doesn't give a fuck about it.
The issue is-where do we draw the line? "Eddie is in Hell" was incredibly offensive because he died. Vickie probably gave the OK for the story. Why is that so bad but this isn't? At the same time, this plays off a real life situation. Katie Vick was totally made up, but that was also incredibly offensive. What are the parameters for what is and isn't offensive? Its all personal choice it seems, but are there guidelines for what is unanimously considered offensive?
Easy. I draw the line when the person is not involved in the storyline.
Kofi Kingston said that Evan Bourne had a motorcycle accident and broke every bone in his foot.
For me mocking Evan Bourne in WWE shows is worse than mocking Jerry Lawler.
Now, somebody will say "how in the blue hell can you compare a foot with a heart attack?"
Easy, nobody asked Bourne for approval and Jerry Lawler was probably that one who got the idea.
If Droz has an idea to appear in WWE shows and to be mocked by a heel, I would also have no problem with it.
People compare it with Owen Hart or Eddie Guerrero but that is just stupid because you can not compare it. Comparing it with Owen and Eddie is just an attempt to make it worse than it ist.
You say Vickie gave the OK but this is not the same, this was not a Vickie is in hell storyline, that was about Eddie.
If we could somehow talk with dead people and Eddie would say that he has no problems with it then I would be not offensive at all.
As for Katie Vick, this was not offensive at all. This was nothing more than a stupid storyline uncomfortable to watch it with friends and family. Nothing more than that. Stupid like Mae Young and the hand only less funny