Okay, what is up with this Jay "Black Machismo" Lethal and why is he not original?

Question

I have been a huge professional wrestling fan since it hit big in 1985. I also follow the inside documentaries and such. Anyway, I was always under the impression that if you were going to become a profesional wrestler that you and/or the script writers had to come up with your own idea of who your character was going to be. I have lately seen this Jay "Black Machismo" Lethal in T.N.A., who does nothing but imitate famous wrestling legend "Macho Man" Randy Savage. They actually give this guy a career on a network televised pro wrestling program when so many "originals" are trying to break into the business? Okay, so if I imitate Hulk Hogan, the Ultimate Warrior, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Shawn Michaels, or Triple H, for example, will I get the chance to be a big-time professional wrestler? I mean come on.....I mean really.....

Answer 1

Lethal has always been popular. The gimmick just uped his TNA career.

Answer 2

If you've been following the storyline of Jay Lethal, he was recruited by Kevin Nash in his Paparazzi championship series thing, and had some kind of Americal Idol competition where Jay Lethal did impressions of previous big-time wrestlers. He did Macho Man the best, and Kevin Nash named him "The Black Machismo" with the Macho Man Randy Savage persona.

I think it's great, and hilarious to watch. But he needs to work on his elbow drop!

Ooooooooooo yeeeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh! Snap into a slim jim!

Answer 3

The thing about it is that Jay Lethal and TNA's creative team got permission to use the Macho Man gimmick from Randy Savage himself.

I do agree that the character lacks originality, but not much can be original anymore. Look at the storylines, for example. What can you do with them that hasn't already been done?

Answer 4

Wrestling companies copy each other all of the time like Umaga is a Samoa Joe rip off,Abyss is a Kane rip off and the Black Machismo's gimmick may not be original but Randy Savage has said himself that he likes it and enjoys it.

Answer 5

Nothing against TNA but they repeat history even more than WWE, they pretty much market themselves as the new WCW. Lethal has tons of skills but its another case of a talented rookie being held behind by a dumb gimmick, yah it was a nice change of pace at first, and he does a great savage impression, but why imitate something that is fine being left alone, why bring back DX or NWO? The more you overuse them the worse it gets and that is what happened to bth DX and NWO LWO BWO Wolfpack and everything else. Jay Lethal, like the legendary Chris Benoit, idolized the Dynamite Kid, he used a moveset somewhat like Benoit and Dynamite and a pure wrestler is what TNA needs but nowe theyve turned him into a spot monkey, I would much rather like to see the rolling german that another dive out the ring. TNA is getting worse than WWE booking wise, tey push WWE rejects while they leave the originals who created TNA to do dirsty work like AJ. The companies have run out og original ideas so they revert to what they found success in 20 years ago, times change and angles should too.

Answer 6

wrestlers copy other wrestlers all the time may it be wrestling style or other. carlito is a rip off of razor ramon lax seems a rip off of lwo. its not a big deal. macho man gave lethal his blessing. at least there making lethal a good wrestler with the macho man gimmick and not ruining the name with lethal being a jobber.

Answer 7

The Black Machismo

Answer 8

Look, the needed to give the X-Division some persnality, they got Savage's permission, its funny. Everyone wins.

Answer 9

I agree with you. I was talking to my husband about him on Thanksgiving. Why is he imitating Macho Man?

Answer 10

That's what TNA does. Most of the wrestlers are copies of WWE's performers. Just look at Abyss.