Daniel Puder's Bad Day: Royal Rumble Moment

[andrew8798]

datdude said:

badantoineaccid said:

That's right, he never really fought any other matches besides the Rumble..... Man, WWE blew a million bucks.... well wouldn't be the first time.

Did he get released right after this?

nope he was sent to the OVW, he was released in September of 2005

[Vice honcho room temperature]

mysterydriver said:

I don't think that Puder got a Million Dollars. I think he got partial payment and WWE used a loophole to get out of the rest.

I think it was a 4 year contract for 250 thou a year and I think he got 250 or there was some prize money or something.

[Bucket Barnes]

I just want to say that Tazz singing Somebody Call my Momma in the second video has made my entire night. Plus, I really think they need to bring Earnest Miller's music back, that song is the best thing ever.

[Boku AKA Da Green Guy]

Puder getting beat up?

A brief Hurricane bit?

AND one of my favorite gimmicks that was stopped too soon?

I love this thread.

[Hypnotix]

That video would've been a lot better if they had that song, "Had A Bad Day" playing in the background like they do every week on American Idol when someone gets eliminated.

[cronker]

Puder was paid $250K for a 12 month contract.

The stipulation $1m contract is actually not very honest. The Tough Enough contract signs you to a 1 year deal worth $250K. This can be in development territory or main game WWE, depending on your skill/talent.

WWE reserves the right to terminate the contract after the first year. If they choose to re-hire, I believe it is then extended for the further 3 years and the end result is your $1m. I could be wrong, I'll go do some more research, but that is my understanding.

EDIT:

The fourth Tough Enough competition was conducted as part of WWE's SmackDown! show between October and December 2004. The prize was a $1,000,000 professional wrestling contract split evenly over four years, with only the first year guaranteed. The winner of the fourth series, announced on December 14, 2004 and televised on December 16, 2004, was Daniel Puder. Puder competed in his first (and only) WWE pay-per-view event on January 30, 2005, being the third entrant in the 2005 Royal Rumble match. Soon after, he was sent to OVW before eventually being released in September 2005.

[kickassforumguyme]

Puder discusses his contract here

www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8-vNeQhROU

[Desi]

icanspeel said:

Not related, but the guys other video is priceless.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq0nIKl54kU&mode=user&search=

I was crying because I was laughing so hard the first time I saw that.

[Shark Jumpin']

I have the 2004 rumble on DVD, and I love the Cat's entrance.

Also, Puder getting stiffed is awesome. I thought he'd win after the fans saw him stand up to a then-heel Kurt Angle, but I am so glad Miz is still there with his awesomely obnoxious persona.

[carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army)]

Yeah, I kind of have to admit to not seeing much of the humor here, either. It really bugs me how the WWE lets backstage stuff spill over onto the TV screen... if Puder's an asshole, or if he went against the wishes of his bosses, then fine or demote him.
It's ridiculous and confusing and unprofessional to have "televised humiliation" and "legitimized asskicking" be accepted punishments, especially when two people have to break character to do it and the announcers all but wink at the camera and say, "This is REAL, folks, we're taking a break from the fake wrestling for a little while."
Bleh.

[nerdinitupagain]

carp said:

Yeah, I kind of have to admit to not seeing much of the humor here, either. It really bugs me how the WWE lets backstage stuff spill over onto the TV screen... if Puder's an jerk, or if he went against the wishes of his bosses, then fine or demote him.
It's ridiculous and confusing and unprofessional to have "televised humiliation" and "legitimized asskicking" be accepted punishments, especially when two people have to break character to do it and the announcers all but wink at the camera and say, "This is REAL, folks, we're taking a break from the fake wrestling for a little while."
Bleh.

I know this is hard to believe, but this is still the wrestling biz and there are somethings that are part of the biz. Hot shot rookies with attitude problems should get their ass kicked and embarrassed. It keeps them in line.

Plus, you can almost be sure that it was okay'd by Vince and that's why he had two of his toughest guys in there to do it.

[Benjamin Boone]

Totally off subject, but do a thing where WWE cameras catch up with some eliminated wrestlers from the Rumble and get their reaction from the match (sort of like American Idol) live on the PPV... I am sure some of the impromptu promos would be hilarious!!

[carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army)]

nerdinitupagain said:

I know this is hard to believe, but this is still the wrestling biz and there are somethings that are part of the biz. Hot shot rookies with attitude problems should get their ass kicked and embarrassed. It keeps them in line.

Plus, you can almost be sure that it was okay'd by Vince and that's why he had two of his toughest guys in there to do it.

Oh I know... this isn't an "inmates running the asylum" complaint. Personally, I think it'd be a better thing altogether if they dealt with attitude problems like any other company, but that's a complaint for another time.
It just seems like whether this is the wrestling business or not, it's also a TV show. Putting something on the cameras that makes sense for backstage reasons but creates an odd scene for the viewers at home (I can't think of any other time I've seen something like this) is just unprofessional.
It's like if those two guys from Grey's Anatomy just suddenly started a fist fight over the operating table, and all the other characters just went, "Well, I guess they just have some issues to work out!" and acted like it somehow made sense in the context of the story.