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Giving Attitude
13 Plays2 months ago
Join Charity this week as she dives into the Attitude Era
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Transcript
Introduction to Queens Ring Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to Queens Ring Podcast, where we celebrate the past, the present, and the future of professional wrestling. I'm your host, Charity, one half of your go-to
The Attitude Era's Influence
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duo.
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Speaker
And on today's episode, I'm diving into the Attitude Era. So we're just going to get with, of course, the check-in. in And this episode is a little bit different for you guys.
00:00:25
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Carrie is not with us today. So this is actually the first episode without both the queens. Yes, I know. It's crazy.
Elimination Chamber Recap
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So last night was Elimination Chamber. That's going to be our headline for this week. And man, was it crazy.
00:00:51
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We started off strong with Jade Cargill, a surprise return and she, I would say we quote unquote thought Liv was going get attacked, but I mean Liv kind of made it a little obvious that she wasn't going for her.
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So she ended up attacking Naomi and Naomi was eliminated from the Elimination Chamber because she could not compete. And let me tell you, Bianca was distraught.
00:01:21
Speaker
Okay. But we still think Bianca did it. We have our theories, but I'm hoping SmackDown finally gives everyone answers because a lot of people have different theories and it's nice to kind of hear how everybody else is thinking and whatnot.
00:01:37
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And then Randy Thick Thighs Orton returned as well. Our KOing KO was gonna punt him. But of course the officials out of all times Was able to stop Randy at this moment.
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Which I mean. We all wanted to see that. So. The final surprise. That got like. I don't think anyone.
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Was anticipating this for real. Cena. John Cena. When I say Cena. John Cena for those of you that don't know. Turned heel after 20 years.
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like diabolical.
00:02:25
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Cody Rhodes said no to giving his soul The Rock. And then after that, John Cena kicked him in the you know what. And then it was just him beating the mess out of Cody.
00:02:37
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I give Cody some props though because he does do a lot for company and he definitely definitely took a lot. Put his body on the line for that one, okay?
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But Now it's John Cena and The Rock. And you know who else? Travis Scott, sir.
00:02:58
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But that is what a pay-per-view should be like. I feel like every pay-per-view should be how this one was, okay I don't want to have hit or misses on one pay-per-view and then the next one gives. Just give it to me all. At least one surprise each pay-per-view.
00:03:15
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But yes, the queens were also for so four four. Like Wendy's. Well, whenever Wendy's was 4444.
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On our predictions. We did not get any wrong. You know, it's just like we wrote the script or something. We just write for WWE. That's something I need to know.
00:03:38
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No, so...
Impact of the Attitude Era on WWE
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In this episode, we're going to dive into one of the most iconic periods in WWE wwe history, the Attitude Era, like I mentioned earlier. So from the late 90s to early 2000s, the Attitude Era revolutionized the wrestling industry with this edgier content, larger-than-life characters, and very unforgettable storylines.
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I'm telling you, still talking about to this day. It was a time when superstars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and Triple H became household names, engaging fans with rebellious acts, no holds barred antics.
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That blurred the lines between reality and entertainment. Let's just say that there in this show. ah the Okay. we'll explore how this era transformed WWE into a global powerhouse, attracting the new generation of fans while also leaving inedible mark.
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on the world of sports entertainment. So defining the attitude era. So the era was marked a significant departure from the family friendly programming of earlier years, embracing the controversial storylines, boundary pushing characters,
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and intense so rivalry. The Attitude Era was defined by the rise of the larger-than-life personalities that I mentioned, who brought a rebellious, anti-establishment attitude that resonated with the fans.
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The Era also saw WWE's ongoing battle with WCW during the Monday Night Wars, which helped catapult both companies to new heights of popularity. Ultimately, the Attitude Era is remembered for its bold, unpredictable storytelling and for revolutionizing the professional wrestling industry.
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So going into like some stars, some factions and the women divisions within the Attitude Era. So my... First faction that will talk about that was ah played a major part in the Attitude Era was D-Generation X. They were one of the most influential factions of the Attitude Era, known for their controversial and often irreverent antics.
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They formed in 1997 by Shawn Michaels and Triple H. DX pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in wrestling, regularly mocking authority figures like one Vince McMahon, the man that shall not be named.
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and engaging in outrageous behaviors. The group slogan, Are You Ready?, and their signature catchphrase, Suck It!, okay, became iconic, symbolizing their defiance and disruptive nature. DX's impact extended Beyond just that in-ring action as it became the voice of the generation that embraced the more mature and edgy content that defined the Attitude Era.
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And let's just say they did. Okay. And going to just one of the stars that was the face, I would say he was the face of the Attitude Era, Stone Cold Steve Austin.
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He embodied the rebellious anti-authority spirit that defined that period. So his persona was characterized by his bold, no-nonsense attitude in his catchphrase, Austin 316, which of course is still remembered by wrestling fans from back in the day. i don't think that's something that you could ever like really forget.
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Austin 316 resonated deeply with the fans who were craving something Edgier in wrestling. Austin's infamous rivalry with Vince McMahon, at that time the WWE chairman, became the central storyline with Austin regularly defying McMahon's authority, delivering brutal beatdowns and with emphasis on that brutal.
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Okay. and delivering memorable moments like the Stone Cold Stunner. His role in pivotal matches, including winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 14, helped elevate him to that superstardom and played a major role in WWE's success over WCW during the Monday Night Wars.
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austin's larger than life character along with his in-ring ability and unmatched charisma made him a defining figure of the attitude era and one of the most iconic wrestlers of the history i actually love stone coast deep austin so don't know i just like you said it was that not no nonsense attitude that he gave like yeah he is savage Moving on to, actually mentioned him earlier as well, The Rock.
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The Rock became one ah another iconic figure in professional wrestling known for his electrifying charisma, his sharp, wade, and signature cats phrases like, if you smell...
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Okay, let me start. If you smell what The Rock is cooking, do you smell it? Okay? Okay. He quickly rose to Superstar Dome. So besides his in-ring ability, he combined with his natural microphone skills. Okay, we're not going to deny that this man does have those microphone skills.
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That made him a fan favorite and a key figure in WWE's battle against WCW in the Monday Night Wars. And he's had like memorable feuds for sure.
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He had top feuds with the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H which became legendary and his ability to seamlessly transition into Hollywood after his wrestling career solidified his status as one of the biggest stars of the era dang everybody that I mentioned in the intro are the main stars that talking about in which i mean it's only right because they made they practically made this era or defined it I should say So my next star that I'm talking about is Triple H. Triple H was a cornerstone of WWE's Attitude Era, evolving from a snobbish blue blood character to the
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arrogant and ruthless the game okay his rise to prominence was marked by his intense rivalries like i mentioned before the rock and he also had rivalry with stone cold steve austin and of course his father-in-law vince mcmahon as a member of the generation x he played a crucial role in pushing the envelope with those controversial and edgy storylines helping to divine that rebellious spirit of the era. Triple H's skills and ability to generate heat as a heel made him one of the top stars of the time.
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And his role in the formation of the McMahon and Hemsley faction in the early 2000s cemented his legacy as one of w WWE's most influential figures. That McMahon and Hemsley era.
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Okay, that was big. Okay.
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So going into like the women's division, I'm going to just highlight the major women during that time. Okay, so my first women star superstar diva that I'm going to about the Attitude Era is Chyna.
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One of the most iconic female wrestlers in WWE history. Chyna had many firsts. She made history by being the first woman to win the Intercontinental Champion and the only woman to date to be a two-time Intercontinental Champion.
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She unquestionably... paved the way for those to follow in her footsteps with a similar look to her. So we're talking, you know, the muscular look, non-traditional, what WWE was expecting. And Chyna is also one-time WWE Women's Champion.
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So she definitely did a lot in her time, especially during that era. And we love a woman that has a lot of firsts and that breaks barriers just like that.
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So my next women star, superstar diva is Lita. You know it was only right, okay? Known for her high-flying style and her punk rock persona, Lita became one of the most beloved female wrestlers. Her feud with Tris Stratus, along with her partnership with the Hardy Boys, made her a fan favorite.
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Like, she is one of the ones that really showed, besides Chyna, and These women that I'm naming are the ones that really showed wrestling is beyond the look.
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Like they got skill. Give them that limelight, basically. And you can't have a leader without having a Trish, okay? My next one is Trish Stratus.
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Initially starting as a diva, quote unquote, in the more glamorous role. Trish quickly became a talented in-ring competitor and she had memorable rivalries, particularly with, like I said, Lita, and eventually became one of the top women wrestlers in WWE history. She also had horrible storylines with Vince McMahon. and And this was the era where it was like, like we said, okay, it's just ruthless.
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And yeah, no, crazy, crazy work. And the last women star, superstar diva that I'm to talk about is Sable. She was known for her modeling looks and muscular physique.
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Sable's popularity soared with her involvement in storylines, including a memorable feud with Mark Merrow and her role in the controversial Battle of the Sexes matches.
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She was the one that you hear the last part, Battle of the Sexes. So it was more so revealing. I can't remember. I believe it was like she walked out it was like the bikini thing and she walked out and like something so revealing like and at this time like everybody was shooketh everybody was shooketh that she just came out and something like that but Sable yeah she I would say was one of those top females of that era too so i'm gonna go into key moments you know how me and Carrie Carrie typically do like three and three I just chose five things
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to talk about and then yeah since I don't have my partner in crime my evil twin cousin is not here I'll ahead and name five so first I'm gonna start off with the first TLC match and if you do not know what TLC is TLC is tables ladders and chairs okay TLC match took place at SummerSlam 2000 involving Edge and Christian, the Hardy Boys, and the Deadly
Iconic Rivalries and Matches
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Boys.
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So this brutal high-flying contest revolutionized the tag team wrestling, with each team utilizing the tables, ladders, and chairs, hence the TLC, as weapons in an all-out, no-holds-barred brawl.
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This match was designed to capture the tag team titles hanging above the rings, leading to jaw-dropping spots like Swanton Bombs off ladders and iconic 3B through a table.
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The TLC match became a hallmark of the Attitude Era, solidifying the team's legacy and influencing future high-risk innovative matches in WWE. If you don't know what a Swanton Bomb is, just look up Swanton Bomb and the infamous Jeff Hardy will pop up.
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The next key moment that I have for you is The of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon.
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This one was huge and hilarious. Let me just say that. I never failed to laugh at any videos. of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon.
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The feud between Austin and Vince McMahon was the cornerstone of WWE's Attitude Era, driving much of its most memorable storylines. Austin, again, the and the rebellious anti-hero, constantly defying McMahon's authority,
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led to explosive confrontations that captivated the fans. The rivalry reached its peak with Austin's infamous victory at WrestleMania 14 that I mentioned earlier, where he won that w WWE championship and continued with Austin regularly humiliating McMahon with stunners, beer showers, and other antics.
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This bitter conflict fueled WWE's success, helping to usher in a new, more edgier era. And I particularly remember, like, out of everything, I always seem to... The first one that seems to come to my mind is some host Steve Austin acting like a doctor in Victor McMahon that's in the hospital. And just, he went ham on Vince in that hospital bed.
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I was dragging him up and down that room, okay? But moving on to another key moment, Ministry of Darkness saga.
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And, you know, i'm a huge Undertaker fan, so I had to bring this man in. Okay, I had to mention this man, okay? The Ministry of Darkness was a dark, sinister faction in WWE during, of course, the Attitude Era.
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Speaker
It was led by my favorite, The Undertaker. Formed in 1999, the group had a gothic cult-like theme, with The Undertaker portraying the twisted occult leader aiming to take control of the WWE. The faction's most memorable moments included their feud with Vince Vick's had a feud with everyone, clearly.
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and the corporation, as well as the shocking sacrifice of Steve Austin, which saw The Undertaker try to, quote unquote, take over Austin's soul. He was trying to do a lot of soul taking, okay?
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Because the Ministry of Darkness storyline eventually merged with the corporation to form the corporate ministry, okay? Creating a large power struggle in WWE.
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This saga played a significant role in the darker, more controversial themes that define Attitude Era. Which Undertaker also tried to take Stephanie McMahon's soul.
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He's just so dark and I love it. Okay, let me stop playing. I'm not that dark, you guys. But you can't say that Undertaker is not entertaining, especially during that Ministry of Darkness.
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But i mentioned the McMahon-Hemsley era as part of Triple H taking that rise to superstardom. So we're going to get into that. It began in 1999. It's centered around the power struggle between Triple H, who became a dominant WWE champion, and his wife, Stephanie McMahon, who was positioned as the queen of WWE.
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So together, they align with Vince McMahon using their family powers to control and manipulate the roster. This era featured Triple H's rise to the top with numerous controversial moments, including manipulation, betrayal, and the creation of a Hill faction.
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That led to intense rivalries with top stars. Mentioning, which around this time, like I said, these stars rose to the top during this time. So they had fused with each other.
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The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Undertaker. Solidifying the McMahon-Helmsley duo. We love to see it. Y'all didn't see my dancey dance. I was dancing.
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My last key moment of Attitude Era was the Rock and Mankind feud. The Rock's feud with Mankind, their conflict began over the WWE Championship, with The Rock and Mankind engaging in brutal, high-stakes matches If we know anything about Mick Foley, we know this man is not afraid to put his body on the line.
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Speaker
And these matches are always at high stakes, okay? Their most iconic encounter took place at the 1999 Royal Rumble, where they battled in an unforgettable I Quit match. If you do not know what I Quit match is, you're fighting until the person say, quit.
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Self-explanatory. which saw mankind take an extreme amount of punishment, including being hit with a steel chair shot to the head. Okay, we talking about the attitude area. like At this point, Reston didn't really have like the safe options, safe way to do things. So he was go getting a head shot with a chair, okay?
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This rivalry pushed both characters to their limits, solidifying their places as two of the biggest stars of the era. The Rock, if you don't know, he's cocky. Okay, he has an arrogant persona.
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He clashed perfectly with mankind's unpredictable, hard-nosed style, creating a dynamic that captivated fans and kept them on the edge of their seats. Period.
00:20:37
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Just like that. so we're gonna go into some remember when, some outlandish times. Because you know, in the era, I'm not gonna say you know, but the ones that were around for the Attitude Era, no.
00:20:49
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There was always outlandish remember when. Okay, so my first one, I would say the grommiest of them all, like the person. Okay, let me know. Vince McMahon.
Controversial Storylines
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Vince McMahon was always in some outlandish stuff.
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His bastard, quote-unquote, bastard revelation. So in the shocking storyline twist, McMahon revealed that he was the father of Trish Stratus' unborn child, leading to an awkward and bizarre on-screen relationship with Trish Stratus.
00:21:20
Speaker
This story mixed drama and comedy, but left fans scratching their heads at how far WWE had gone with the plot. Like, but Like, come on now. Now you're taking it too far.
00:21:33
Speaker
Like I said, Vince McMahon was always mixed in some outlandish stuff. My next one is his Kiss My You Know What Club in the two thousand McMahon forced wrestlers and even some of his employees to join his Kiss My You Know What Club, leading to some humiliating and over-the-top moments that played into his tyrannical persona.
00:21:55
Speaker
This ain't a persona. If you listen, well, I was gonna say, if you listen to like season one, if you were there for season one, you heard us talk about how rhyming this man is. But now season one is gone. But he was literally having people kiss his buttocks.
00:22:09
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Like, sir, please. So we're both. Swivel on a Tuesday, isn't it?
00:22:20
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Oh my gosh. I need to be stopped.
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My next outlandish remember when is Big Show Choke Sam and the Undertaker. you If you know or know who the Undertaker is, you know this man is large.
00:22:37
Speaker
Okay, Big Show was also large. So it's a win-win. We knew that was about Big Show. It's not like it was somebody smaller than Undertaker doing it, but still. So Big Show destroyed the ring by chokeslamming Undertaker onto the ring. He fell straight through, okay?
00:22:56
Speaker
He fell straight through. Like, this man ain't... Which, of course, after a choke scene like that, falling through the ring, you're not going to come up immediately. But that man was laying there for a while. Like, is you okay?
00:23:09
Speaker
And what exactly did you hit if he fell through the ring? The concrete and he was deceased. Okay. My next outlandish remember when moment is the quote-unquote love triangle with Vince McMahon once again, Trish Stratus, and Linda McMahon.
00:23:30
Speaker
Now, this was a wild saga where McMahon had an affair with Trish Stratus only for his wife, Linda, to be portrayed as a comatose in a wheelchair, leading to a highly uncomfortable and awkward storyline with tons of absurd moments, including Vince and Trish's kiss.
00:23:49
Speaker
So we kind of covered this whenever we had did an episode on the big Vince McMahon documentary. This was also Linda's idea. Like, Linda and Vince, collectively, were okay with doing a storyline. And I'm just like, eh.
00:24:07
Speaker
Like, ugh. Like I said, he Vince McMahon was involved in a lot of outlandish stuff during that era. And Trish, it seems like Trish was always the person to have to deal with those storylines out of all the women that were there.
00:24:22
Speaker
So this one we've covered before, or like we did a post on Instagram. Mae Young giving birth to a hand.
00:24:32
Speaker
So in one of the weirdest and most disturbing segments in WWE history, Mae Young gave birth to a plastic hand in the segment that left viewers confused and horrified.
00:24:44
Speaker
Because what? The storyline, which was meant to be comedic, quickly became one of the most talked about moments from the 2000s. Because we know babies come from birth.
00:24:57
Speaker
Now what the heck is a hand one coming from birth? And I believe it was Whitmark Henry.
00:25:04
Speaker
At that, which makes it even more. what? So my last one, like I said, there was so many, so many Outlanders for number ones.
00:25:16
Speaker
But I only chose a few. And if you have any that you remember and want to mention, go ahead and comment. Leave it, leave it there, leave a comment there so we can see what you remember about the Attitude Era and, or your favorite moments of the Attitude Era.
00:25:30
Speaker
So my last one is a Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Montreal Screwjob. So at the 1997 Survivor Series, Bret Hart was controversially screwed out of the WWE Championship in a match against Shawn Michaels.
00:25:46
Speaker
While the incident was controversial, it is considered one of the most significant moments in wrestling history, leading to the creation of the quote-unquote Mr. McMahon character.
00:25:58
Speaker
It's not like outlandish, like how these other remember-wings were, but that was like something that something that took everybody by surprise. And then Brett started to lash out.
00:26:11
Speaker
Like it was the real thing. So the next question we have is, would the attitude era make it today?
Would the Attitude Era Succeed Today?
00:26:20
Speaker
Which I'm to say no, because attitude era pushed those boundaries, was very edgy adult thing, which would, to me, likely not be accepted in the same way in today's wrestling business, because like modern wrestling is very different now.
00:26:39
Speaker
It's focused more on the inclusivity, family-friendly entertainment, and a more regulated media environment. But like certain elements can resonate with the Attitude Era, like the larger-than-life personas, the anti-authority or defiant attitude, which would need to be more nuanced.
00:26:59
Speaker
Because we know WWE has so many mainstream sponsors, and with that will come calculated risks. How would this affect those sponsorship and those things like that? I feel like it's too much of, ah ah it's a lot of people that's involved now that we're not able to get to that point of the attitude era in today's.
00:27:19
Speaker
So no, I don't think it would make it today. it was just, even though I love the attitude era, like I would love to bring me to the attitude era. A lot of people do want the more aggressive type stuff, but also women have more respect now.
00:27:35
Speaker
than they did back then too so like some those storylines just ain't gonna cut it we'll not cut it for these fans okay but again i think we have more kids watching and more people involved with the wwe that if that was to happen it could result in different situations or like losing sponsorships or things like that so i don't think it would that wraps up Today's dive into the legendary Attitude Era in WWE.
Conclusion
00:28:06
Speaker
From unforgettable moments to the stars who changed the face of wrestling, This era truly shaped the landscape of sports entertainment. Whether you lived through it or are just discovering it now, it's clear that the Attitude Era's impact is still felt today, which is also true.
00:28:22
Speaker
If you have not or don't know what the Attitude Era is, I say just do some searching. You want to know what it is? Want to see how outlandish it was?
00:28:33
Speaker
Go ahead and take to Google. and search it up, baby. You'll find some videos. Something will pop up, that's for sure. And that is going to conclude this week's episode.
00:28:44
Speaker
You guys can find me at livinglavishwithloni on TikTok and on Instagram. And you guys can find Keri on Instagram and TikTok at KeriVicious.
00:28:58
Speaker
Thank you for stepping into the ring with us this week and hanging out with your girl. Make sure to like and subscribe for more exciting episodes every Wednesday. And head over to our Instagram and TikTok Queens Ring podcast.
00:29:12
Speaker
We love to interact with the wrestling community, so do not be shy. Don't be shy, like I said. Until then, keep your crowns high and your shoulders off the mat.