On the latest “WOOOOO! Nation” podcast, Ric Flair addressed the controversial angle with Charlotte and Paige that capped off this week’s episode of Raw. For those that missed it, Paige made reference to Charlotte’s “little brother” not having enough fight in him. Reid Flair passed away from a drug overdose in 2013.
Here is what Flair said about the angle:
“Here’s the problem. Obviously I have an opinion, but I’m afraid to voice it because I don’t want anything to affect Ashley’s career. I would just say that I know that Hunter and Stephanie and Michael Hayes have her back. I think…if anything I don’t think that she feels she’s comfortable enough to say ‘no’ to anything yet. She’s only been up there three months. It’s a pressure cooker and a tough spot to be in. Even though she’s the champion doesn’t mean that she goes ‘hey, this is what I wanna do or what I’m not gonna do.’”
“If you’re asked to do something, that’s pretty much the way things operate up there. Everybody walks on pins and needles and just because you’re the champion doesn’t mean you have the right to say no and if somebody writes it down…one person approves everything. So I really don’t have an opinion.”
“I was very sensitive to it obviously because it’s a very sensitive issue and it’s very new. I know her mom is on fire. I’m not going out on a limb to say what I think.” Flair said that for what it was he thought the segment was intense and his daughter’s promo was great.
Flair clearly did not like what was written and when he was asked what his thoughts would be if he were just watching as a fan he said, “I wouldn’t like it.”
“I was upset when Jerry Lawler was verbally abusing Bret Hart’s parents [in a 1990s storyline] much less touching on something as sensitive as [Reid]. It’s still new…it’s not even three years old. It’s something we deal with in the family on a daily basis.” Flair noted that he got emotional while talking about Reid while filming “30 for 30” for ESPN.
About if he was informed beforehand that this was going to happen, Flair said:
“I never heard a word about it. I started crying when I was watching it. Nobody called me and no one’s called me today. That would indicate that they just assume that it’s good. I don’t have an answer for that.”
Flair was asked if he would have preferred to have gotten a heads up before the angle. He said, “No because I don’t think it would have made any difference. If they ask you to do something, what is she going to say? ‘No, I quit?’”
Flair noted that they’ve written stuff down for him that he’s had changed and he’s usually able to get things straightened out but it’s never anything at the level of what they did on Monday. Flair said that he knows that she is not looking to rock the boat right now and that she’s in a very unique position right now.
Flair also noted that he would be backstage at Survivor Series. ESPN will be filming more footage for “30 for 30.”
You can listen to Flair’s “WOOOOO! Nation” podcast by clicking here.
