A former WWE writer lost their job for challenging the company’s racially insensitive content the company was producing, it has been claimed.
On LinkedIn, Michael Leonardi shared two videos explaining his exit from the company in 2016. He explained that the Muhammad Hassan character proved to be pivotal in his firing from WWE.
“Back then, there was a character by the name of Muhammad Hassan. In July of 2005, while in the build-up to a PPV match with the Undertaker, WWE aired a controversial segment that made national news as hitting a little too close to home with the ongoing “war on terror.
“Shortly thereafter, the london bus bombings occurred which brought more attention to the angle and the concern amongst UPN.”
Leonardi, who was assigned to oversee the Hassan Vs. Undertaker match at that year’s Great American Bash, made clear to WWE that he did not feel comfortable with the angle.
“I told my boss that I had a problem being associated with the project (I felt strongly that it was just wrong of us to keep going with it) and asked if I could be assigned to one of the other matches (which I was) Eddie vs. Rey (with little dominick, which is crazy to see where he is now!)”
The former WWE writer then explained how he felt the company punished him for taking a stance against the controversial character.
“I was then promptly stripped of all my responsibilities as an associate producer and given grunt work. A week or so later, UPN put enough pressure on WWE that the character was eventually wiped from WWE programming after the PPV and never seen again.
“I was then given back my responsibilities. As much as I loved working there, I thought it was F’d up that the situation was handled that way and soon thereafter put in my notice.”
Other Claims
Leonardi isn’t the first former WWE employee to claim they were punished for challenging racially insensitive content. Last year, Britney Abrahams claimed she was fired by WWE after she challenged shocking story ideas, including one that would see Mansoor be responsible for 9/11. Abrahams alleged that she was fired for taking a WrestleMania chair home, despite other employees being allowed to do the very same. She voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit last August.
