Before I begin this piece I feel that I must first say that I am not a huge professional wrestling fan. I read the “dirt sheets” but I very rarely watch an entire broadcast of either WWE or TNA anymore. Now, if ROH were to get a weekly show here in the states I would be very interested. That, however, is another column for another day.
This piece is regarding the interview that former WWE Champion and current WWE Superstar John Cena gave to CNN recently. The interview was shown during a CNN special dealing mostly with the tragedy involving the family of former wrestler and murderer Chris Benoit. The clip of the Cena interview shown on CNN was interesting to say the least. The footage that WWE released on Saturday morning was even more intriguing.
To sum up, the CNN editing department was quite clever with the way they presented the Cena interview to viewers. In the interview that was shown on CNN, a voiceover describes Cena as a man “who doesn’t like being asked if he as used steroids.” Cena is then shown in a room, appearing to answer that very question. The answer that CNN shows is incriminating to say the least.
This is a crazy question and it’s something that, um, it’s tough to answer just because of the way society is now; the way people conceive things because performance enhancing drugs have got the spotlight and it’s a hot thing to talk about. I can’t tell you that I haven’t but you’ll never be able to prove that I have.”
This was it. The smoking gun. John Cena, the most popular WWE Superstar since The Rock, just practically admitted to the entire world that he had used performance enhancing drugs before and didn’t even deny that he wasn’t on them now. This is what the media had been hoping for since the Benoit family was found dead. The nail in the WWE coffin.
Just one problem, though. That’s not how things went down. Not at all. In the unedited interview released by WWE, Cena is asked straight up by the interviewer whether or not he has ever used steroids. “Absolutely not” was Cena’s answer. The quote that was shown on the CNN special was in reference to the fact that the Cena has passed numerous drug tests and yet people still wonder whether or not he is now or ever has been on “the juice.” When he said “you’ll never be able to prove that I have” Cena was telling the world that he’s never failed a drug test because he’s clean, has always been clean and always will be clean.
There’s quite a difference between what CNN showed and what actually took place during the interview. WWE released the following statement that went along with both the edited and unedited interviews.
“In a country in which the news media is highly suspect, and the quality of unbiased reporting has been thrown into the trash can, CNN has stooped to new depths. Notwithstanding the fairness, or lack therein, of CNN’s recent piece entitled “Death Grip: Inside Pro Wrestling,” perhaps the best example of how CNN misrepresents and unfairly presents their biased, if not illegal, point of view is the comparison of WWE’s unedited video above to CNN’s edited version. CNN’s depiction of John Cena as it relates to steroids is not only professionally and morally wrong, but damaging to his character.”
This brings up the question that many people have asked when it is suggested that any athlete has taken a performance enhancing drug and that accusation is followed by that athlete’s denial. Why doesn’t John Cena and the WWE sue CNN? CNN showed their version of the CNN interview on cable television for the entire world to see. Without question, CNN edited the footage of the Cena interview in order to gain ratings by creating controversy. They did so at the expense of John Cena.
It also cannot be denied that CNN’s footage of the interview implies that John Cena does have something to hide. Without showing the entire interview the quote “I can’t tell you that I haven’t but you’ll never be able to prove that I have” is rather incriminating. Any kid in law school could prove that, let alone the highly paid attorneys that currently work for WWE.
John Cena could set a precedent for professional athletes everywhere by suing CNN. Media outlets around the world would no longer be in such a hurry to divulge the name of an athlete who is “believed” to be a steroid user without having all of the facts, first. More importantly for Cena and WWE, however, is the fact that a lawsuit against CNN would definitively prove that Cena is clean. Why else would he go through the trouble of a legal battle against a company like CNN?
For those of you who don’t know, John Cena is the 2007 version of Hulk Hogan. Practically every child that watches WWE cheers for Cena and it could be said that Cena is a role model. Whether or not he is a good role model for children is irrelevant to this piece. These kids don’t just cheer for Cena. Their parents buy John Cena merchandise. Lots of it. Just watch a WWE event on television. Even with Cena currently out of action the crowd is full of people both young and old wearing their John Cena gear.
It can be argued that 2007 was the most difficult year for WWE. The disturbing events surrounding Chris Benoit and the drug scandal that has continued throughout the year has put a permanent black mark on professional wrestling as a whole. If the WWE is serious about cleaning up the company image there is no better place to start than a lawsuit against CNN.
However, if John Cena and WWE do not go after CNN that inaction will say more to me than any interview ever could. As usual, we’ll all be left with the same questions. Eventually, though, these questions are going to have to be answered.
All quotes courtesy of WWE.com and CNN.
