Charlotte talks the Reid controversy in the Paige angle

[héad.casé]

Source: Sam Roberts' Wrestling Podcast

Charlotte admitted that Reid Flair's death was used in her feud with Paige to get heat and to give the Charlotte character some sympathy.

"I think they needed heat. I think they needed heat because, I mean, in my eyes, I look at Paige, looking at her as a fan, not a talent, I'm like, 'yeah, she's freaking cool! She's a badass! I can relate to her. She's one of us!' And I knew, I mean, I think the Reid storyline came because they needed heat and they needed to get me some kind of sympathy."

While Charlotte was surprised at the backlash the storyline received, she believes that all great storylines come from a place of reality and she deals with her brother's passing every single day.

"Honestly, I was [surprised by the backlash] because I already get it. Like, before this storyline, people think that being a [second] generation kid, everything is handed to you, but, honestly, it's that much harder. Could I have walked on set and been whoever I wanted to be? No. And then, people knowing about Reid's death, knowing the story behind it, knowing [what] my dad's private life has been in the media for years, so I'd already gotten backlash from social media anyway, saying negative things about my brother and father and it's like, I think, just the general public, is able to say their two cents anyway." Charlotte continued, "any great storyline came from a little bit of realism. I'm not saying it was good [or] it was bad. I don't know anymore just because once it was hashed and then getting the backlash, I was like, 'am I a bad person? How is this making me look?' But you know what? People were talking."

[ellisdee]

Is it just me that could barely like, read that, like?

[Perd]

Really, she's surprised by the reaction? Even Joey Stykes called that backlash.

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

That angle took the heat in the storyline from a 3 to a -2.5.

[Hit Girl]

Well as long as people were talking.

That's what matters, Charlotte.

[Deleted]

Wasn't her own mother pissed off about it?

If the kid's own mother is infuriated by mentioning her dead son, then what the fan backlash is just extra fluff that doesn't really bear discussion.

[Mozenrath]

I'm not really going to shit on her for this, given she's been in wrestling for a relatively brief time, and really, she did have a point to a degree that all of Flair's shit is out there constantly, so I'm sure it didn't seem like a big deal to dredge any up. That said, it kind of highlights how odds wrestlers are as people that she didn't anticipate the sour taste it'd put in people's mouths.

[Hit Girl]

The average WWE viewer didn't know Reid Flair from a hole in the head. So without some sort of wider context, the reference would have been lost on most people, and considered tasteless by those who knew. A Divas feud is never serious or profound enough to cite dead siblings to generate heat. Hell, most male feuds aren't THAT important.

[A Platypus Rave]

Feb 1, 2016 17:58:45 GMT -5 Perd said:

Really, she's surprised by the reaction? Even Joey Stykes called that backlash.

nah, Joey Styles isn't good enough to call backlash

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

I feel like she's not speaking her mind here and is kinda just trying not to step on any toes. Because realistically, what else could she say?

Charlotte: They told me about the angle and that's the moment I realized, "boy, I sure do work for some real assholes."

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

I listened to the podcast this morning. She did a good job selling that it was her idea. There was a WWE handler you could hear at the beginning and end of the interview too.

[mrbananagrabber]

It could have, maybe, possibly, worked IF there had been some story behind it. There wasn't, it was bitchy heel Diva 101 with no real sense of fire or hatred. Then out of nowhere Paige comes out with that and it just didn't add up and seemed like a cynical desperate ploy to give the storyline an edge.

[abjordans]

Jesus.... She thought that shit was ok?

[xCompackx]

Feb 1, 2016 18:29:58 GMT -5 mrbananagrabber said:

It could have, maybe, possibly, worked IF there had been some story behind it. There wasn't, it was bitchy heel Diva 101 with no real sense of fire or hatred. Then out of nowhere Paige comes out with that and it just didn't add up and seemed like a cynical desperate ploy to give the storyline an edge.

Which was worse since WWE gave up on the Reid angle the week after it happened. So now we had a tasteless, unnecessary stunt that didn't even amount to anything.

[xxshoyuweeniexx]

Feb 1, 2016 18:00:16 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

Well as long as people were talking.

That's what matters, Charlotte.

She's been reading her Uncle Eric's Controversy Creates Cash book.

[Kevin Hamilton]

Feb 1, 2016 17:58:45 GMT -5 Perd said:

Really, she's surprised by the reaction? Even Joey Stykes called that backlash.

[gr1990]

Feb 1, 2016 18:15:08 GMT -5 TWERKIN' MAGGLE said:

I listened to the podcast this morning. She did a good job selling that it was her idea. There was a WWE handler you could hear at the beginning and end of the interview too.

I take every current WWE talent's comments on their time in WWE with a pinch of salt until they leave, and even afterwards they're usually keeping a lid on a lot of things in the name of staying classy/not burning any bridges for a return.

[angryfan]

OK, so she was fine with it but (reports, I know) said Ric was livid (and his choice of words and tone later suggested he was not thrilled with the whole thing, and there was also rumblings that Reid's mom was beyond pissed.

Sorry, but if a throwaway line got both parents incensed, then that's when I feel comfortable saying "too far". Not because I'm white knighting, but if something is said and I see two people who don't get along so great but who share a common tragedy in agreement, then I tend to side with them.

That, and...storyline wise, it made zero damn sense considering now Charlotte is a heel and...yeah.

[Alyce: Old Media Enthusiast]

Feb 1, 2016 17:58:45 GMT -5 Perd said:

Really, she's surprised by the reaction? Even Joey Stykes called that backlash.

Good for Joey Stykes. Styles still isn't allowed though.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Feb 1, 2016 18:55:31 GMT -5 xCompackx said:

Feb 1, 2016 18:29:58 GMT -5 mrbananagrabber said:

It could have, maybe, possibly, worked IF there had been some story behind it. There wasn't, it was bitchy heel Diva 101 with no real sense of fire or hatred. Then out of nowhere Paige comes out with that and it just didn't add up and seemed like a cynical desperate ploy to give the storyline an edge.

Which was worse since WWE gave up on the Reid angle the week after it happened. So now we had a tasteless, unnecessary stunt that didn't even amount to anything.

And the bizarre thing is that CHARLOTTE is the one that ended up heel out of it all...

"You there with the dead brother... I hate you because you cheat like your old man! And you, the one who made fun of her dead brother... You're OK, I guess?"