This story is taking an interesting twist. It started some months ago. The WWE introduced the character of Mohammad Hassan (portrayed by Mark Copani), an Arab American who was fed up with the ways that Arab American's have been treated since 9/11.
This could make for an interesting angle, but sometimes things go too far. A couple of weeks back the angle took another step. Airing the same day as the bombings in London, Hassan became portrayed as a full blown terrorist leader. He motioned prayers to the skies as 5 masked men, wearing fatigues, hit the ring to beat down the Undertaker.
Now, while Hassan seems to possess good mic skills, his wrestling ability has yet to be tested and it appears he may not get that chance for awhile. Following this event, UPN placed a ban on the character. This has forced Vince McMahon to pull the character completely. He will be appearing at the Great American Bash on 7/25, to face 'Taker, but beyond that, things look grim.
I think that UPN did the right thing with regards to the character. There are ways that he could have been developed without this particular event. On the other hand, I do feel bad for Mark Copani, this turn sort of leaves him out in the cold. Hopefully he will be repackaged and come back as something else.
The AP has even picked up on it and has produced a story regarding the character. In the column, a WWE spokesperson, Gary Davis, had the following to say: "The whole point of the story line and this character was to point out the injustices Arab-Americans have suffered since 9-11," he goes on to say: "Some people drew the conclusion these people were terrorists even though they were not terrorists."
This can lead to an interesting character, but this was taking it too far.
See the AP story here, courtesy of Yahoo.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Tan The Man
The idea of a terrorist on a wrestling show was a bad idea, regardless of any coincidental events involving real life terrorist activity.
2 - Chris Beaumont
That is true. I liked the idea of an Arab-American who is upset with his treatment, but this did go too far.
3 - TommyTruetell
This is "FICTION" !! Get over it.
They were doing what the script said to do. Why should they suffer for it?
4 - Chris Beaumont
Because it is fiction that is in poor taste.
5 - TheCO
Since when do good taste and tv have anything to do with each other??
Hell the Iron Sheik was a miserable SOB two decades ago...
6 - Matt Paprocki
Hell the Iron Sheik was a miserable SOB two decades ago...
As did Sgt. Slaughter. Nothing new here. People have simply become over-sensitive and UPN doesn't want to deal with it.
7 - Triniman
Pro wrestling has always been about quality, tasteful entertainment. Thank goodness this buffoon is being censored. He has sullied the good name of pro wrestling.
8 - MIKE
COPANI (HASSAN) SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO WRESTLE. HE IS ARAB,SO WHAT HE IS A GREAT ENTERTAINER, BETTER THAN THAT FAG HOGAN OR ANYBODY ELSE.
HASSAN RULESS............
VINCE DONT CHANGE HIS GIMMICK
9 - TIM
HASSAN IS THE MAN, I AM A WHITE AMERICAN WHO LOVES HASSAN. VINCE LEAVE HIM AS HASSAN. DONT CHANGE HIM YOU CAN STILL MAKE MONEY
HASSAN HASSAN HASSAN IT GREATTTTTT
10 - moemoney
Vince would be the biggest clown if he removes Hassan. he is about to peak and could create more controversay which could spawn media.
Hassan- Mark Copani is a good man I met him at raw, why the fuck are you racist motherfuckers bothering him. it is a show fuck off.
IM WIT U HASSAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1
11 - April Wagner
Get a grip people!!! It is called entertainment for a reason...it is just that! How many other shows have incorporated terrorist behaviors and storylines on their shows since Sept 11th...A LOT!
12 - Mark Jefferson
Why get rid of Mohammad Hassan.This was the character everyone in my area was looking forward to seeing on TV every week.Did you see how upset the 2 white men on the front row when he beat Sean Michels...As they use to say Fans loved seeing the bad guy get beat up & he took his against Hogan & Michels on PPV..Now what he was saying week end & week out is coming true... Send him back to Raw where he belong! *Primetime* on Monday Night Spike TV
13 - Niz
Although it was entertainment, this character was dangerous. First of all this guy wasd a buddhist so he wasn't in the place to mock Islam on TV. While some poeple are smart enough to see through TV facades, most of the people that watched that character associated him with all Arabs and Muslims. Notice how they chanted 'USA USA' everytime he came out. Notice how whenever he made a valid point in an argument, a numbskull like Mick Foley or Jerry Lawler would use the classic redneck rhetoric of "I dont care, I support America". Like bombing Iraqi kids is patriotic or something. Anyway I'm digressing, the point is that they displayed an "Arab" in the worst possible light in a time when Arabs and Muslims desperately need to break this negative image of themselves. Watching the crowd chant 'USA'whenever that guy came on displayed to me the shocking, absolute stupidity that most of those fans poscess. They appear to be nearly braindead.
14 - Susie
It really is a shame that they pulled him. The WWE had done so much in the past that raises awareness about sensitive issues. Remember when they brought out Golddust during the time when gay/lesbian rights was an issue? The more people are exposed to an issue, the easier it is (for mostly younger generations) to accept it later on. Plus, now I won't get my Daivari fix anymore :(
15 - shoua
i know the wwe is just entertainment and fake but how can they let Mohammad Hassan do all that stuff that was happening on smackdown? did't he sign some kind of contract that he would follow instructions? if he did then how could all the things he have done not been address by the person responsible? or was this some kind of fake stuff the wwe pulled because Mohammad Hassan did't want to be in the wwe any more? you know what hassin has been saying on smackdown is true and i am for him because i'm not american either and i don't feel any freedom and is scared to even do some things. like riding on the public transportation. when i get on i have all these people looking at me and making me feel uncomfortable. that is just what Mohammad Hassan was asking on smackdown asking about how they feel about not feeling like a free man.
16 - Bob
The character of Hassan was more complex than most make out. So-called "smart marks" like Niz (above) were outraged by what they saw as overt anti-Arab propaganda (how smart are smart marks, anyway?).
The majority of everyday rasslin' fans were eager to cheer the character (whether due to the performer's supposed skill, or merely a matter of predictable national guilt over racism), creating greater interest as others joined in with the (originally manufactured aka "piped in") USA! chants. Hassan, not Copani, was one of the most effective characters/gimmicks to appear in WWE in a long time.
Allowing faux-sensitivity in the wake of unrelated terrorist actions in London to ruin this performer's carreer (don't kid yourself, that is exactly what killing the gimmick will do, and nothing more), is a shameful thing.
17 - Nas
IT IS THE WWE FAULT THAT HE IS FIRED. THEY WENT TO FAR ON HIS CHARACTER. HE DIDNT REALLY DO ANYTHING WRONG. ALL HE DID WAS OBEY THE WWE WRITERS. NOW WHO AGREES?
18 - Chris Beaumont
He wasn't fired. He will end up getting repackaged and brought to Raw when they move to USA in October.... how ironic.
19 - jake
i think mohammad hassan is a weak man undertaker KICKED HIS ASS AT THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH!!!
he ran away at the survival 6 man elimination match on smackdown hes a weak man he needs to retire and hulk hogan and shawn michaels kicked his ass aswell hes a weak man!!!!
20 - Coolchemist
I was really happy to know that the character of Hassan was banned. I know it's not the guy's fault, he only obeys the story-lines written by some people, but I think that a lot of people share with me that he was a pain in the ass in a very bad time. He is a bad representative of arabs, and he certainly isn't muslim, and the problem is that too many people don't see that or can't diffrentiate between a real muslim or an actor.
21 - Chris Beaumont
I thought he showed some promise in the ring, and he was a pretty good speaker. Granted, the storyline wasn't handled in the right way, but I don't think that this should cost him his job, as it potentially could. And no he isn't Muslim, or Arab, he's of Italian descent.
And if people can't differtiate between a fictional television character and reality, I think we have bigger problems.....
22 - Niz
This is for "Bob". I don't know what a 'smart-mark' is, but I hardly think that you are in a position to insult the intelligence of people you don't know. [edited]
23 - RogerMDillion
Can he insult your bigotry? Plus, what are you going to do from your computer, tough guy?
24 - Warren
Niz -- if you don't know what a smart-mark or a smark is, you might not be one. It's not an insult -- more of a wrestling business insider term referring to fans who think they understand the business. It's used to ndicate that they really don't know anything more than the marks -- people who think wrestling is 100% real-life, unscripted and unrehearsed.
25 - Bob A. Booey
White trash entertainment, redneck values.
That is all.