Praat Smack came back over the weekend, but without the hosts, WWE were announced for the SmackDown post-show less that 24 hours before the first episode hit the Network.
Instead of Xavier Woods, Kayla Braxton anchored with The Miz. Miz is equally synonymous with Praat Smack like everyone, mostly thanks to his legendary 2016 promo on Daniel Bryan. The episode on August 22, 2020 will probably not go down in history like the one of almost exactly four years before, but it does generate a lot of discussion for an exchange of which Miz was a part.
After his win over Sheamus on Friday’s show, Big E was a guest on Praat Smack. The New Dayer stepped into his signature style, snuck up behind Miz for a hand-y hug, gave Braxton a cocky one, and then spread his legs wide across the desk to begin the interview. It was the opening (pun semi-intended) Miz needed to get started on something we’ve heard a lot since Kofi Kingston’s injury left E without one of his partners – the idea that the eight-time Tag champion will have to “get serious ”To be successful as a wrestler for singles.
He pressed pause on that subject to tackle another, something he said Kingston is “too humble, do the right thing” to elevate himself: how Kofi had “his legs protruding from under him” at the end of his WWE championship run last year.
Miz makes an exception, saying that “the same thing” happened to him, but he made no apologies and re-focused himself. He points out that Miz’s world championship and WrestleMania main event came much earlier in his career than Kingston’s, and he has since had many more high-profile chances. The A-Lister clings to his guns, repeating arguments we’ve heard before from people like John Cena and Seth Rollins about how Kofi should have done more with what screen time he got after he was in seconds last year in Brock Lesnar had lost.
Here is the WWE clip released from the exchange, in which Miz gets louder and hotter, while E is much calmer in the question of the host’s logic:
Well, Miz is a height, E is a face, and both work here almost certainly to some degree. I’m sure it’s got to be taken seriously “here for storylines, because it’s tired of everything but – and actually a great angle that fits in with the real and kayfabe history of New Day of wanting the freedom is itself instead of what others think they ‘should’ be.
However, it’s uncomfortable to see Miz refuse to admit that he’s given more chances to Kingston, E, and other artists of Black and Brown (E never comes out and mentions race as a problem, but he does everything but a moment later the clip in reflection on his own future of the world title, “Hopefully very soon, when I get that chance. Because I intend to earn it. But it’s very interesting, Kofi and I. 11 years for Kofi ; seven years for me “). Or calling himself a ‘victim’ in the last nine years of his career instead of entertaining the opportunity is another reason than his hard work and talent that he acquired five years after his television debut with The Rock & Cena and has continued to get big angles ever since.
But instead of telling you the problems I noticed in Miz & E’s Praat Smack exchange, let’s do something that Miz should have done … listen to someone who’s dealing with people who have not recognized their privilege all their lives. Here is The Sports News‘ Andreas Hale, a great writer and martial arts analyst who is also a Black man, tweetjen about the clip above:
“Unforgettable white privilege exists everywhere … especially in pro wrestling. In this video you will find the following:
– The invisible package with benefits
Victim victim
– The arguments ‘I passed it on too’ and ‘just work hard’
– Ignore obstacles‘You do not have to be a pro wrestler to understand this. Use this conversation on any task and you will see just how dangerous it is when white people really cannot see how privilege works, even though it is so explicitly outlined.
‘What Miz does not mean is not scary, but it’s alarming because he can not see what Big E is talking about. The concept of white privilege does not mean that Miz got anything or diminished his work, but it does give the opportunities that others of different ethnicities do not.
“Miz, and white people in general, do not have to take these opportunities. He is not treated differently in this world because of his skin color and yet he is told that he must be a certain way to combat stereotypes. You need to acknowledge what you have and what others are being denied. “
It’s a conversation we’ve talked a lot about and heard about in 2020. It’s also one we should continue to engage with.
And, hey. As many people on social media have pointed out, it’s not like Miz has not been here before. Someone is calling his Real world/Challenge castmate Coral Smith, of whom Miz once said:
‘She was not sure if I was racist, ignorant or just plain stupid. One thing was certain: She would not let me off the hook. I was not a racist. I just told how my life was and tried to be as open as possible. Then it was more of a learning curve for me to be on the show and to be people I would not normally hang out with because I was not attached to them [back home]. ”
We will see if anyone reflects and learns as a result of the latter Praat Smack moment. Even if it’s 100% a job, it’s an opportunity to just do it. In fact, it seems, especially if it is a work in progress, designed to stimulate discussion and hopeful growth among the public.
Whatever percentages work / shoot, it’s worth watching Big E’s entire performance on the show for another great speech on why he should be allowed himself, as he strives for the honor of singles. You can do that on WWE Network over here.
