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Post by Rolent Tex on Jan 19, 2022 1:28:53 GMT -5
How long before we get Heidenreich coming out of retirement to be WALT….er…Gunther’s stooge?
Oh wait…Vince actually was shocked at that angle being suggested.
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Post by Lizuka #BLM on Jan 19, 2022 1:35:01 GMT -5
I don't even necessarily mind them giving him a new name, but it does feel like they could've chosen one that sounds less goofy, even without getting into the baggage it has.
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Mozenrath
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 19, 2022 1:45:31 GMT -5
I don't even necessarily mind them giving him a new name, but it does feel like they could've chosen one that sounds less goofy, even without getting into the baggage it has. It's also weird to do when he's been on WWE TV a bunch of times already as WALTER. Like, I imagine the idea is that he was probably reluctant to give them any part of that name, or trademarking it would be tough, but I'd figure it'd be something like "add onto Walter" or "Non-real name name", not "different regular-ass first name". "You guys remember Jim, from Survivor Series? He's Ralph now!" Holy shit, hype! |
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Post by TWERKIN' MAGGLE on Jan 19, 2022 2:10:23 GMT -5
Rebranding him VVALTER would've been more on brand.
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Kalmia
King Koopa
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Post by Kalmia on Jan 19, 2022 2:11:49 GMT -5
Isn't the first rule of naming anybody anything that you Google it to see if it's already in use or has any negative connotations? That just seems like common sense to me. Even if Gunther Starks is an obscure Nazi and there are thousands of Germans with that name, if you're WWE surely you'd decide to err on the side of caution and choose literally any other name instead. At least he only said Gunther on TV. Hopefully he sticks to the single name and WWE just wasted money on a trademark they'll never use. Well, according to Wikipedia there were around 22,000 navy officers during the war and then the army tended to have about ten times the personnel of the navy, so that's quite a lot of names. I literally just Googled 'most common German surnames' and then searched for Gunther + [surname] and found several combos that found no Nazis. Several jazz composers oddly enough, but no Nazis. If it takes all day of Googling to avoid naming one of your wrestlers after a Nazi, then take the day. Or, just stick with the name he's already used several times in NXT (and even on the main roster) Whatever is easiest. |
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Post by rnrk supports BLM on Jan 19, 2022 2:31:48 GMT -5
I don't even necessarily mind them giving him a new name, but it does feel like they could've chosen one that sounds less goofy, even without getting into the baggage it has. It's also weird to do when he's been on WWE TV a bunch of times already as WALTER. Like, I imagine the idea is that he was probably reluctant to give them any part of that name, or trademarking it would be tough, but I'd figure it'd be something like "add onto Walter" or "Non-real name name", not "different regular-ass first name". "You guys remember Jim, from Survivor Series? He's Ralph now!" Holy shit, hype! Hey pal, in McMahontinuity Tony Atlas can inexplicably become an African tribesman, so of course WALTER can inexplicably become a Nazi. |
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thehottag
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Post by thehottag on Jan 19, 2022 2:44:02 GMT -5
I think it's always important to be fair, & chances are, this is accidental. I mean, I'd certainly never heard of Gunther Stark before this. It's not like they put forward a name like Goering or Himmler or Hirohito.
Except, of course, they have previously put forward Hirohito as a name for a heel Japanese wrestler. That, coupled with WWE often using non-American wrestlers as stereotypes, means I cannot 100% say WWE didn't find a U-boat commander's name for a German speaking wrestler.
It's either that or they picked a name & their quadrillion writers didn't even bother to do the tiniest bit of research into it. OR (possibly even worse), they did research it, & Vince just went with it anyway.
Basically, there's no scenario here where WWE looks good. Stupid at best, ignorant at worst.
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Post by EoE: Well There's Your Problem on Jan 19, 2022 3:00:58 GMT -5
I also have to wonder about what Walter Hahn himself thinks about all this. First thing to keep in mind is he's not actually German, he's Austrian, a country that was annexed by the Nazis in the leadup to the second World War. Dude probably would've gone his whole life having been educated about the evils that were wrought by that party and how that affected his home nation and the rest of the world. He has his successful wrestling career, the vast majority of it under his real name, and then he finally commits himself to a full-time run in the United States. Then they're like "You'll be working under this name" or "Give us a list of names to help us choose your new one", and you know, it is what it is... And then its probably brought to his attention that the one they are (were?) going with just happened to match 1:1 with a WWII Nazi U-boat captain on the very first Google search.
He'd probably be utterly mortified. And I'd assume Barthel and Aichner would be too, because this situation affects the fortunes of Imperium as a whole. Imperium (and its indy predecessor Ringkampf) have always had to skirt these kinds of whispers about being some kind of Nazi-ish allegory because of their elitist and vaguely militant presentation, but they're gonna turn into full-on screams because of this, even if they only use the first name, everyone now knows what that first name is linked to. Even if they change literally NOTHING ELSE about the act.
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Post by "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay on Jan 19, 2022 3:12:41 GMT -5
'WHY DIDN'T WE ASK JEEVES ABOUT THIS'
'His name is still Paul, not Jeeves, and he doesn't know how to Google either'
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Totorob101
Hank Scorpio
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Post by Totorob101 on Jan 19, 2022 3:14:12 GMT -5
Great start to his career huh.
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Post by ISO Mid Thigh Pull on Jan 19, 2022 3:17:39 GMT -5
Wait hold the f*** on WALTER isn't German?
Bro everything's a lie what the hell
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Post by A Platypus Rave on Jan 19, 2022 3:19:55 GMT -5
Wait hold the f*** on WALTER isn't German? Bro everything's a lie what the hell He's Austrian. Which ... close enough <_< >_> |
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pinja
Unicron
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Post by pinja on Jan 19, 2022 3:35:37 GMT -5
I also have to wonder about what Walter Hahn himself thinks about all this. First thing to keep in mind is he's not actually German, he's Austrian, a country that was annexed by the Nazis in the leadup to the second World War. Dude probably would've gone his whole life having been educated about the evils that were wrought by that party and how that affected his home nation and the rest of the world. He has his successful wrestling career, the vast majority of it under his real name, and then he finally commits himself to a full-time run in the United States. Then they're like "You'll be working under this name" or "Give us a list of names to help us choose your new one", and you know, it is what it is... And then its probably brought to his attention that the one they are (were?) going with just happened to match 1:1 with a WWII Nazi U-boat captain on the very first Google search. He'd probably be utterly mortified. And I'd assume Barthel and Aichner would be too, because this situation affects the fortunes of Imperium as a whole. Imperium (and its indy predecessor Ringkampf) have always had to skirt these kinds of whispers about being some kind of Nazi-ish allegory because of their elitist and vaguely militant presentation, but they're gonna turn into full-on screams because of this, even if they only use the first name, everyone now knows what that first name is linked to. Even if they change literally NOTHING ELSE about the act. Nationalism is a wider problem in Austria than in Germany (although we catch up ...). The educational focus on National Socialism will be similar, but with the distinct twist of Austria being passive in it's rise while definitely being a perpetrator when it unfolded.
As for nationalistic undertones in Imperium/Ringkampf: The aesthetic and stern behaviour is one thing, Marcel Barthel tweeting "Imperium over erevything" however is one step too far.
As for the Google search: If you're using German Google, the first hit will be this Wikipedia article: He was director of several theaters in Nazi Germany, but no information about any further involvement. Still, what a mess.
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Bo Rida
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Post by Bo Rida on Jan 19, 2022 4:02:01 GMT -5
They must have released the head of googling things in the last purge.
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Post by burdette25159 on Jan 19, 2022 6:52:05 GMT -5
At least they aren't using his full name yet, otherwise they'd be losing sponsors over this
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Post by Alice Syndrome on Jan 19, 2022 7:11:20 GMT -5
I don't even necessarily mind them giving him a new name, but it does feel like they could've chosen one that sounds less goofy, even without getting into the baggage it has. It's also weird to do when he's been on WWE TV a bunch of times already as WALTER. Like, I imagine the idea is that he was probably reluctant to give them any part of that name, or trademarking it would be tough, but I'd figure it'd be something like "add onto Walter" or "Non-real name name", not "different regular-ass first name". "You guys remember Jim, from Survivor Series? He's Ralph now!" Holy shit, hype! I actually had this conversation with my wife this morning and we decided that "Walter Heiss" would have been great if they just wanted to add a surname to him, because last I checked it just means Big. |
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Mozenrath
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 19, 2022 7:15:27 GMT -5
It's also weird to do when he's been on WWE TV a bunch of times already as WALTER. Like, I imagine the idea is that he was probably reluctant to give them any part of that name, or trademarking it would be tough, but I'd figure it'd be something like "add onto Walter" or "Non-real name name", not "different regular-ass first name". "You guys remember Jim, from Survivor Series? He's Ralph now!" Holy shit, hype! I actually had this conversation with my wife this morning and we decided that "Walter Heiss" would have been great if they just wanted to add a surname to him, because last I checked it just means Big. Right, something like that, or even something like "Starkwalter". I mean, 'stark' means strong, and this would keep it from stepping on Zoey's name. I know she's injured and might just get repackaged or released, anyway, but still. |
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Post by sunnytaker on Jan 19, 2022 7:21:12 GMT -5
Is he going to be kayfabe related to Zoey Stark? you mean the soon to be renamed Zoey Stane |
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Post by Feyrhausen on Jan 19, 2022 7:27:20 GMT -5
Friends already did this gag. When Joey decided to change his stage name to Stalin, remember?
Oh, its not a gag.
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Gecko
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Post by Gecko on Jan 19, 2022 7:44:28 GMT -5
He ends up on the main roster wearing a sailor uniform and we get at least one attempt at 'you boat?'/U-Boat "comedy"
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