Well, that quickly increased.
Last Friday, Apollo Crews nailed it Smash to explain his attack on Big E the week before. He was dressed in new modern equipment and explained that the colors represented his heritage. Crews was embracing his real roots in Nigeria. The “true African American” would win E and take the Intercontinental title.
It was a very strong promotion, and it gave Apollo a real character in addition to “happy to be here, a guy who is good at wrestling” for the first time in his WWE career.
As they usually do, in Smash last night (March 5), WWE grabbed the controller and turned up the volume with Crews’ new trick.
The true African American came to the ring carrying a spear and flanked by two camouflaged men that he would present as his “elite Nigerian guard”. Unlike the previous week, when Crews only spoke with an accent when impersonating his grandfather, this time the entire Apollo promotion was done that way.
It is a lot to absorb.
It certainly got an answer from what WWE likes to call the Universe. Or, I think I should say answers. Because online feedback varies from allegations of racism, excitement to representation and jokes about Vince McMahon finally seeing Black Panther, and everywhere in between.
The debate also looks intense. Rather than arguing about something like The Devil is a good trick or a bad one, the Crews conversation involves issues that we are struggling with in all areas of our society. In particular the race, and who can or should declare something offensive.
If you find Apollo’s presentation problematic, are you upset when Drew McIntyre wears a kilt? How does Crews’ accent differ from when Lana channeled her Russian heritage in the same way?
I don’t know the answer to those questions, and I think my own answers will depend on how the character will be used in the future. I will say that WWE will not take advantage of my doubts for long. This is both because of their history with black artists and with the story of “Evil Foreigner”, and because of the lack of subtlety with which they launched the new Apollo.
It would be great to see someone talking about their experience of being touted by Americans who are not villains (only in the current cast, Crews joins Mustafa Ali as prominent characters with that motivation). But perhaps someone who does not act like a warlord, or “troublemaker”, would not have gotten that kind of response? Is it okay if Crews or Ali knew they had to play a bad guy in search of revenge for being discriminated against to get a story?
Apollo Crews is on our screens, having a chance to flex new performance muscles. He will continue what has been a fun rivalry with Big E, and an intriguing side story with Paul Heyman (Roman Reigns’ special advice again praised Apollo today Talking Smack) Some fans are thrilled to see their culture portrayed on WWE television for the first time.
These are all good things. We’ll see where it goes from there. And each one will have to decide for himself how he feels about it.
For WWE, they set out to get people to talk. At least in the past 24 hours, they have been successful.