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Please don't compare the genius of the Lawler-Kaufman feud to the Chris Rock and Will Smith debacle!

Please don't compare the genius of the Lawler-Kaufman feud to the Chris Rock and Will Smith debacle!

Posted: Mar 28th 2022 By: Bill Apter

When Will Smith swung at and connected with Chris Rock's face at the Academy Award show 2022, people in the wrestling business wasted no time comparing the shocking incident to WWE Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler smacking quirky entertainer Andy Kaufman and sending him tumbling on his chair, spilling him sideways to the floor on the David Letterman Show in 1982.

I saw it happen up-close-and-personal. I was just a few feet away, behind the TV cameras, snapping photos along with fellow Pro Wrestling Illustrated editor Craig Peters. We never had a clue what would transpire during that TV show taping.

Letterman and his entire crew were also totally in the dark and shocked by the actions of Lawler and the hatred he would spew physically onto Andy. Similar to what Kaufman did, dropping the f-bomb several times, it was just one of those from Smith that made the live crowd and millions watching on TV highly uncomfortable and angry.

With Kaufman, people in the audience and television viewers were laughing at his verbal tirade and cursing and hoping Lawler would end Andy's so-called wrestling career.

It was me, Bill Apter, who put Jerry and Andy together a short time before their feud took place (for the full story, kindly read my book titled "Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn't Know It Was Broken!" on sale on Amazon).

Yes, I introduced them to each other, and what they put together was nothing short of magic and genius, from their in-ring feud to the Letterman incident. It made television history and is listed in many historical books about TV history as one of the most memorable moments of that medium.

Back then, there was no internet. People learned what happened on Letterman the day after as it received coverage in every major newspaper worldwide. It was the photos that Craig and I shot that spelled it out, and it went viral as everyone was talking about it. Had the internet been around back then, it would have made it explode! That is how explosively hot this was back then.

Hours after Letterman took place, Craig and I found out it was partially pre-planned. We went back to Jerry's hotel room, and Andy was with him. Along with Craig, I maintained we knew this was going to happen. Lawler did confide in us that what happened was not scheduled to occur.

"They wanted us to hug and do a song and make friends towards the end of our segment. We didn't want to do that so we kind of improvised and it took everyone by surprise and made TV history. People in the wrestling business have been trying to duplicate what we did but it's never worked. What we did felt natural to both of us. We just let it happen!" Lawler said.

The difference here is enormous. Other than the slap by Lawler, the Will Smith-Chris Rock incident, in my opinion, was real -- a shoot. There is a history of unpleasant social media barbs between the two of them, and Smith's wife has been the subject at times. Smith was supposedly fed up with all the banter throughout the years and eventually exploded at the Oscars.

What Will Smith did was wrong. Accepting the highest award for Best Actor in a movie after the slap incident and cursing at Chris Rock in front of millions of people was not orchestrated.

Unfortunately, it may wind up on some of the most memorable TV moments lists like that of Lawler and Kaufman. However, I would insist it be listed in the category at the very top of "TV's most shameful moments of all time."

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1979 Jim Garvin & Herb Calvert def. Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 1980 Hector Guerrero & Ron Sexton def. Ron McFarlane & Doug Somers for the TSW Tag Team Titles
  • 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 2004 Luc Lapointe def. Prophet for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
  • 2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. Beau Dalton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 2004 Beau Dalton def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 2005 Justin Lee & Michael Faith became the TPW Tag Team Champions
  • 2011 Michael York & Ignition became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 2011 Brandon Walker def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 2011 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & David Kyzer) became the SWCW Tag Team Champions
  • 2016 Kareem Sadat def. Dean Lambert for the EmpCW Independent Hardcore Title

Week of Sun 11-01 to Sat: 11-07

  • 11-01 1960 Tony Jiminez & Jesse Jiminez became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champions
  • 11-01 1981 Ted DiBiase def. Paul Orndorff for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 11-01 1982 Al Madril def. Frank Dusek for the WCCW Television Title
  • 11-01 2008 El Hoto def. Martin Justice for the OECW Southwestern Title
  • 11-01 2008 The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Matthews III) def. The New York Express (Jeff Knight & Thomas Knight) for the OECW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-01 2013 Steven Sterling def. Bobby Starr for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 11-01 2014 Guy Atticus became the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 11-01 2014 Kevin James Sanchez def. Kareem Sadat for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 11-01 2019 Brock Landers def. Tego for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 11-01 2020 Double D became the EPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-01 2020 Drake Gallows became the EPW All-American Champion
  • 11-01 2020 Revan became the EPW Internet Television Champion
  • 11-01 2020 The Sidekicks (Kevin James Sanchez & Gemini [2nd]) became the EPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-01 2020 High Times (Father Padge & Dean Lambert) def. The Sidekicks (Kevin James Sanchez & Gemini [2nd]) for the EPW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-01 2025 Iron Mountain (Duke Blanchard & Jack Davenport) def. The Trendsetters (Andre West & Nelly Rivers) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
  • 11-02 1978 Ray Candy def. Ernie Ladd for the TSW Arkansas Title
  • 11-02 2002 Terry Montana def. Shadow of Death for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2003 Ty Magnus def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2003 John O'Malley def. Ty Magnus for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2003 X-Cal def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2003 Outcast def. X-Cal for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2013 Kevin Morgan def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 11-02 2013 What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-02 2013 Miss Diss Lexia def. Erica for the IZW Queens Title
  • 11-02 2014 Les Mayne def. Rick Russo for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 11-02 2019 Clint Poe became the EmpCW All American Champion
  • 11-02 2019 War Party (Gorgeous Garcia & Nytronis A’Teo) def. The Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the EmpCW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-02 2019 Dexter Hardaway def. Double D for the EmpCW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-02 2019 Karnage def. Naiomi Sanders for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 Unicorn def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 Karnage def. Unicorn for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 C. M. Burnham def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 Karnage def. C. M. Burnham for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 Naomi Sanders def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-03 2001 The VIP Crew (Rocco Valentino & Vinnie Valentino) def. The Texas Outlaws (Beau Dalton & Butch Dalton) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 11-03 2001 Splash Jackson def. Big Daddy Moore for the OPW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
  • 11-03 2012 The Old School Suckas (Randy Price & Bryan Cruize) def. Big Business (Damon Windsor & Kevin Morgan) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-03 2012 Erica def. Angel Blue for the IZW Queens Title
  • 11-03 2018 Damon Windsor def. Randy Price for the WCR Revolutionary Title
  • 11-04 1985 Rick Rude def. King Parsons for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 11-04 1988 Kerry Von Erich def. Jerry Lawler for the WCCW World Title
  • 11-04 2005 Beau Dalton & Bobby Dalton became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-05 1979 Jim Garvin & Herb Calvert def. Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 11-05 1980 Hector Guerrero & Ron Sexton def. Ron McFarlane & Doug Somers for the TSW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-05 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-05 2004 Luc Lapointe def. Prophet for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
  • 11-05 2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. Beau Dalton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 11-05 2004 Beau Dalton def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 11-05 2005 Justin Lee & Michael Faith became the TPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-05 2011 Michael York & Ignition became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 11-05 2011 Brandon Walker def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 11-05 2011 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & David Kyzer) became the SWCW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-05 2016 Kareem Sadat def. Dean Lambert for the EmpCW Independent Hardcore Title
  • 11-06 1977 Dick Murdoch def. Jerry Oates for the TSW North American Title
  • 11-06 1978 Jerry Stubbs became the TSW Mississippi Champion
  • 11-06 1999 Joey Casanova became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-06 2010 Jermaine Johnson def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-06 2010 Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) def. Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Eric Rose) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-06 2021 Koko became the WAH Living Hope Champion
  • 11-06 2021 Tino Valentino became the NCWO Oklahoma Champion
  • 11-06 2021 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Cpl. Punishment) def. Most Wanted (Dan Webber, Reese, & T-Arsenal) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 11-06 2021 Danni Bee became the NCWO Women's Champion
  • 11-06 2021 Samedi def. Tommy Dean for the CPW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-06 2021 Ky-Ote became the NCWO Choctaw Nation Champion
  • 11-06 2021 Tino Valentino became the NCWO Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-06 2021 Akbar Farat def. Tino Valentino for the NCWO Heavyweight Title
  • 11-06 2022 Jason Jones def. Dimitri Alexandrov for the WFC Prime Title
  • 11-06 2022 Leo Fox became the ASP Mid-American Champion
  • 11-06 2022 Olivier Vegos def. Skylar Slice for the ASP Women's Title
  • 11-06 2022 High Ratings (Maui Mike & Beau Betten) def. Chosen Influence (Malik Mayfield & Luke Richmond) for the ASP Tag Team Titles
  • 11-06 2022 Gatekeeper def. Mr. Nasty for the ASP 5-Star Title
  • 11-06 2022 Tino Valentino became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-07 1984 Bill Dundee def. Adrian Street for the MSW Television Title
  • 11-07 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. The Old School Express (Jason Jones & Jake Boulder) for the MStW Southern Tag Team Titles
  • 11-07 2009 Dustin Heritage def. Randy Price for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 11-07 2015 The Terror Squad (D Money & Montego Seeka & Marce Lewis, Nytronis A'Teo & MVP) became the IWR Tag Team Champions
11-05
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