Post by Melinda Rhodes on Mar 4, 2022 23:10:47 GMT -6
The camera records a bespectacled Rebel's reactions as she watches Nick James cut a simple, stripped down, no frills promotional about their upcoming match and for several seconds, her face is rather stone like. A hint of anger and maybe a little disappointment crosses her face briefly before finally it's over and she looks back at the camera. Slowly she pulls her prescription reading glasses from her face and sets them down on her desktop. The scene is rather simple, just a straightforward white wall with SRW, Uprising, and EWC Brawl posters on it, a laptop set before her, and a single lamp nearby providing proper lighting. She starts off, speaking softly in a controlled manner.
Rebel: You know, son, I get it. You feel strongly about the conflict in the Ukraine. We all do. It's painful what's going on over there, but we don't come to a wrestling show to relive what's on the news. I've said my peace on it through tweets, to people in person, and so on. I refused to say anything on a camera or in front of an audience, live or otherwise, because nobody comes to wrestling to catch up on current events. If we want to be terrified, shocked, or horrified by what's going on overseas, we'll flip on the news. I'll watch the live feeds of the shellings, bombings, and firefights. Hell I do and my heart bleeds for those hard fighting motherfuckers in that little country. I'd love nothing more than to see the world unite and stomp the living piss out of Putin and his whole goddamn regime, free Russia from his bullshit.
Melinda reaches to her left, picking up a pack of cigarettes. Pulling one out, she lights the tip with a nearby bic lighter. Upon the flame's kiss of the cigarette's exposed tobacco, she takes a few quick puffs to get it smoldering, then lets out a long, calming exhale of smoke.
Rebel: The stress of it all got me smoking again just to deal with it. So you can tell it's on my mind. It affected me during my promo, but I wasn't going to break my rules to garner cheap sympathy and use a tragedy to push myself forward. That ain't how I operate. Nick James? You lost some respect from me this night sunshine and not for your stance on the conflict as I whole heartily agree, but on the fact that you used this... you cheapened this in a promo.
She thumps her finger on the table for emphasis.
Rebel: It's a shame you didn't post this sooner because I'd have loved to properly eviscerate you doing what you did.
Pushing a button on her laptop, The Rebel replays a section of the video. Spliced in, we see Nick as he was, cutting his promo as he did.
Nick: I can’t even speak right now
** Nick walks around, trying to gather his words. **
Nick: Normally, I’m the man who will come to you and make a joke of everything. That’s my coping mechanism. That’s what allows me to live a normal life and not lose it every time I hear bad news. But in a moment like this, how is it possible to feel fun? How can I try to make a joke of anything knowing there are people are there infinitely suffering more than I ever will?
** Nick walks around, trying to gather his words. **
Nick: Normally, I’m the man who will come to you and make a joke of everything. That’s my coping mechanism. That’s what allows me to live a normal life and not lose it every time I hear bad news. But in a moment like this, how is it possible to feel fun? How can I try to make a joke of anything knowing there are people are there infinitely suffering more than I ever will?
The scene promptly switches back to her on the push of a stop button.
Rebel: You know how you get through times like this in our sport when the shit is going down? You become a beacon of strength. You show the best of yourself that you can, no matter how difficult it is, because if you see that trash bag of a promo I cut, I was struggling to be a professional. I wanted to say a ton of things about Ukraine and the war, but I focused as hard as I could to leave that shit out and hype the match, the event, and the title up because this is professional wrestling. What's what separates pros from amateurs, son. Simple facts.
Drag and a puff of the cigarette puts a little more smoke in the air.
Rebel: We soldier on, do our best for the show because at the end of it all? We're here to help people forget their troubles by watching us talk shit, hype matches, and compete in the ring. You wanna' talk about your feelings on the war and shit? Do it on your own time, with your own platform and camera, kinda' like I'm doing here. Don't use tragedy to put yourself over, ever. It ain't right and if you need to get over using a nation on fire and thousands dying in the streets outside of their homes? Maybe you should think about your depth as a person and a performer.
She flicks ashes in her ash-tray. With a scoff she continues.
Rebel: Then again, what the hell do I know, right? I've only been doing this for about 21 years and seen just about every fuck up imaginable and even lived to add a few to the collection over the years. Fucked up part? This is probably better than the promo I cut for the show, but this is just me going off the top of my head about how I feel when people use real tragedy in a bid for cheap sympathy in a fucking wrestling promo. Nick, I like you, but this really soured me on you and I hope you learn something from this.
Mel takes one last drag from her lit smoke.
Rebel: You wanna' help and show respect? Donate money to help the families that are being devastated by the war in Ukraine. See you on Monday, Kid.
A button press later and the feed is killed.