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The Gimmick Table: The Origin of Kerwin White

Posted: Dec 12th 2024 By: Brian Damage - RingTheDamnBell.Wordpress.com

A gimmick is something that is intended to hook the attention of fans to a wrestler. They may be outrageous or steeped more in reality, whatever the case may be…some have succeeded and many others have failed. The Gimmick Table takes a look at the origins of some of your favorite and not so favorite gimmicks of professional wrestlers.

Today we browse the gimmick of Kerwin White

In 2005, after a trip to Japan, Chavo Guerrero Jr was greeted back in the States by WWE owner Vince McMahon. According to Chavo, Vince said…‘Well hello Kerwin,’ and Chavo was very confused. McMahon told Chavo Jr right then and there that Chavo’s new gimmick was going to be someone who denounced his Hispanic heritage and identify himself as a white man. Initially, Chavo wasn’t thrilled with the idea for the gimmick, but knew he either accept what Vince was offering or perhaps be pushed aside or even fired.

The idea for the Kerwin White character came from Vince McMahon himself. It all stemmed from Vince feeling Chavo Jr was very bland and always seemed to carry himself very differently from his uncle Eddie Guerrero. Vince saw Chavo as someone who really didn’t carry himself as a Latino like Eddie did. The idea for a character that was obviously Hispanic, but pretended to act ‘Caucasian’ came to mind. The name Kerwin was borrowed from longtime WWE director Kerwin Silfies. Bruce Prichard said Vince always felt that the name was perfect for a nerdy character down the road.

Chavo Guerrero Jr decided to go all in with the gimmick and dyed his hair blonde, dressed in golfing outfits and also wanted to take the character farther down as a heel. According to Chavo, he wanted Kerwin White to appear in a vignette or walk to the ring in a white KKK type sheet. Chavo felt that he wanted the gimmick to be truly hated. Vince initially agreed to the idea, but decided at the last minute to scrap the sheet outfit for fear of the networks boycotting the company. The Kerwin White character also had his own caddy added in a young Nic Nemeth. The gimmick was ultimately scrapped completely once Eddie Guerrero tragically died.