Smackdown top writer Hayes suspended for uttering racial slur

Smackdown head creative writer Michael Hayes has been suspended for 60 days for using a racial slur with a co-worker at a recent gathering.

WWE suspended Hayes from his duties for allegedly using the n-word during a conversation with African-American wrestler Mark Henry last month at a Wrestlemania weekend event in Orlando. The incident occurred during what was described as "casual talk" while several wrestlers were drinking at a party. Sources say Hayes told Henry, "I'm more of a n—— than you are," then playfully head-butted the 400-pound grappler. Henry, a former Olympic weightlifter who is billed as "the world's strongest man," took exception to the remark and later complained to WWE management, and Hayes was slapped with the suspension.

The disciplinary action initially had been kept quiet, with Hayes having been reported on a two-week vacation, but was addressed when news of the incident leaked out.

"Due to inappropriate behavior, Michael Hayes was suspended for 60 days with no pay. In order to return to work, Michael Hayes will be required to undergo further evaluation," said a WWE spokesman. Creative team member Ed Koskie has taken Hayes' place as lead writer of Smackdown during his suspension.

Hayes, 49, whose real name is Mike Seitz, has been a powerful member of the WWE inner circle for the past decade. The Georgia native is well respected as a writer and has a close relationship with the McMahon family. But Hayes, one of wrestling's top performers during the '80s as part of The Fabulous Freebirds, also has a history of using racially charged language around colleagues and has been warned in the past by Stephanie McMahon about using inappropriate remarks.

Hayes reportedly had been drinking and joking with MVP (Alvin Burke Jr.) prior to uttering the racial slang. Hayes himself had been the butt of a number of jokes during Wrestlemania weekend as a result of a garish outfit he sported to several events. Triple H even pointed him out at the Hall of Fame ceremony where he described Hayes, replete in white suit, hat and sunglasses, as the "Stay Puft Marshmallow Pimp."

Michael "P.S." (Purely Sexy) Hayes formed one of pro wrestling's most successful and innovative teams a quarter of a century ago with the late Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy. The Freebirds, who later added Buddy "Jack" Roberts (Dale Hey) to the mix, were known as hard-driving, hard-living and hard-partying rebels who waved Confederate flags and took their name from a classic Lynard Skynard song.

Times have changed, though, and expectations for a member of management working for a publicly traded company in a corporate environment and professional setting are considerably more stringent. Hayes reportedly has used racial slang on a number of occasions, including at creative meetings, and has been warned in the past about his flippant use of the language.

Hayes also has been linked to the departures of former ECW champ Bobby Lashley and Smackdown diva Kristal Marshall, both African Americans, and both of whom had worked under Hayes and left for creative reasons.

--Special appearances by the three candidates for Leader of the Free World may have done little to spike ratings last week on Monday Night Raw, but they did generate considerable buzz throughout the mainstream media.

WWE Raw drew a 3.0 rating for Monday's three-hour edition, which featured the King of the Ring tournament and pre-taped appearances by the presidential candidates. The first hour of the show drew a 2.4 rating, while the second hour drew a 3.3 rating, and the final hour a 3.4.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain all appeared on the historic episode to talk a little wrestling smack in taped messages on the eve of last Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary.

While the scripted lines were rather predictable, McCain came off as a genuine follower of sports entertainment, exclaiming with a pit-bull snarl, "Americans don't watch wrestling because we're bitter. We watch WWE because wrestling is about celebrating our freedom." Working in the catch phrases of Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Ric Flair and Triple H, the presumptive Republican nominee cleverly closed with, "That's the bottom line, because John McCain said so." He didn't, however, break open a beer can following his animated delivery, although former WWE champ John Layfield said later on a Fox News show that the Arizona senator "came across as a guy you want to sit down and have a beer with."

Clinton, telling her fans to call her "Hill-Rod," came off as forced with her mat jargon as she vowed to be "a president who will go to the mat for you." Obama, borrowing a catch phrase from wrestler-turned-movie star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, punctuated his spiel with a rather uninspired "Do you smell what Barack is cooking?"

Overall it was a major coup for the company. WWE was counting on a lot of news coverage and was happy with the results. In many ways, it was an historic night for the industry, less than a year removed one of its most tumultuous periods. Keeping the company relevant and in the public spotlight remains a goal of Vince McMahon.

There were, of course, critics who claimed they wouldn't vote due to the appearances on Raw by the three candidates. Jim Ross addressed the naysayers with the following astute analysis: "The price that our forefathers paid to insure that all Americans had the right to vote was a steep one, and to declare that one isn't voting because the candidates briefly appeared on Monday Night Raw is 'box of rocks' stupid. That's akin to the outrageous Howard Stern saying he would never vote for an individual for president of the United States who watches wrestling."

--Ric Flair has received more accolades — this time from a home state politician.

U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, former mayor of Charlotte, honored Flair recently in Congress. Speaking to the House of Representatives on the House floor, Myrick read a statement on Flair's accomplishments in pro wrestling, including being the first active member of WWE's Hall of Fame.

"I would like to honor the career of a man whom I am proud to call both a constituent and a friend," Myrick began. "He will forever be known as an innovator, a pioneer and perhaps the greatest that his industry has ever seen. By any standard, Ric Flair is a living legend."

Myrick, who is representative of the 9th district in North Carolina, concluded with a trademark "Whoo!" after saying Flair's mere presence evokes joy and emotion wherever he goes. "Today I honor the outstanding career of the 'Nature Boy' — and congratulate Charlotte's favorite son — Ric Flair," she said.

Flair, in his new public relations role for WWE, was in Houston, host town for Wrestlemania 25, on Wednesday meeting with city and business leaders at a luncheon. The newly inducted Hall of Famer spoke to a couple hundred potential advertisers for next year's event and is looking forward to appearing at conventions in Chicago and Los Angeles in upcoming weeks to promote Smackdown's move to MyNetwork TV in the fall.

"It's all good stuff," he said. "It's a whole different part (of the business), but it's equally as good."

Wrestlemania XXV will be held April 5, 2009, at Houston's Reliant Stadium, home to the NFL's Houston Texans.

--George's Sports Bar, 1300 Savannah Highway, will air the Backlash pay-per-view at 8 p.m. tonight. Cover charge is $7.

Reach Mike Mooneyham at (843) 937-5517 or mooneyham@postandcourier.com. For wrestling updates during the week, call The Post and Courier Info Line at (843) 937-6000, ext. 3090.