Media Outlet Looks At Ultimate Warrior's Past Controversial Comments, WWE And Dana Warrior Respond
A recent report from VICE Sports resurfaced racist and homophobic comments made by WWE Hall of Famer Ultimate Warrior on his blog. The report asserts that the WWE has made an effort to hide his bigoted past.
The Ultimate Warrior, born Jim Hellwig, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014 after an extended time away from the company. He died a mere three days after his induction. During the mid-to-late 2000's, Warrior was a conservative commentator who maintained a blog and made speeches on college campuses. The report uncovered some of Warrior's most controversial blog posts.
Warrior wrote posts insulting Hurricane Katrina victims, disrespecting Martin Luther King Day, disparaging homosexuals after a "Queer Studies" speech, and insensitively commenting on the death of actor Heath Ledger. But a heartless post on WWE Hall of Famer Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, who had been recently diagnosed with throat cancer at the time, is probably the most damning given his likeness being used for WWE's partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
"As for you, Booby Heenan, it's just too difficult to keep a straight face talking about the pure two-faced bag of sh? you are (and have always been), what, with you also actually wearing one as a piece of body jewelry. You are dying, dis-eased on the inside, and no more time is left to get back any of the integrity that matters the most on death's bed. Imagine what it will be like, lying there taking in your last breaths, knowing you whored yourself out your whole life, and had to, in your final years, be faced with emptying your own personal sh?? bag affirming to you the true value of what you achieved in your life. Not even Vince could come up with a better finish than this. Karma is just a beautiful thing to behold."
Heenan died last month from organ failure due to complications from his throat cancer.
Since his death, Warrior has been used as a face of the WWE's philanthropic efforts. The company created the Warrior Award, given to someone who "exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of the Ultimate Warrior." This year, the WWE launched the #UnleashYourWarrior campaign coinciding with its partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation in the fight against breast cancer. In response to the report of Warrior's discriminatory past, the Susan G. Komen Foundation declined to comment while the WWE offered this statement:
"WWE's 'Unleash Your Warrior' breast cancer awareness campaign and annual 'Warrior Award' recognize individuals that exhibit the strength and courage of WWE's legendary character The Ultimate Warrior. Any attempt to distract from the mission of these initiatives and take the spotlight away from the honorees is unfortunately misguided."
Despite virtually removing every memory of Hulk Hogan from the company after he made racist comments in 2015, the WWE has not publicly addressed Warrior's bigoted past. In a statement to VICE Sports, his widow Dana Warrior insinuated that her husband had changed his ways prior to his death.
"I will not be disloyal to my husband's memory or speak ill of a man who is not here to defend himself," she said. "I can, however, tell you his heart was changed by conversations with his two daughters. The true testament of the man behind the character is his ability to evolve. My husband did just that."
Source: VICE Sports