MEMO TO JEFF: IT’S A JOB, AND YOU’RE AN ADULT
If there’s ever been a better reason to change the ****ing channel while watching a wrestling show than Dr. Ken, I haven’t seen it. If that annoying ass clown is on SummerFest, I have no intention of watching. I may not even go see “The Goods.” Sell hard, but not THAT hard, or THAT OFTEN.
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SummerFest, of course, will likely mark the departure of Jeff Hardy, who wants time off to go play in his tree house, produce “The Hardy Show” (whatever that is) and just stay out of sunlight.
If it sounds like I don’t respect Hardy, good guess. He’s 31. These are his prime years in terms of earning and performance, and he’s getting a big push. He is, inexplicably, one of the biggest stars in WWE right now despite being a babyface who, it is heavily implied, takes drugs. For Jeff Hardy to walk away from that is unfair to the company, himself, and the whole concept of SummerFest.
But not only is Hardy over with the fans, he’s over with WWE. To wit: Even though WWE knows Hardy is probably leaving, and under circumstances they can’t be thrilled by, they put the world title on him anyway. Most guys get buried if WWE feels they’re chumping out. Hardy got a big gold belt.
Hardy gets an AMAZING crowd response. Look around the stands: So many kids are wearing Jeff Hardy merch. If their parents only knew.
But Hardy is a lousy employee. His current popularity and usual ring excellence aside, his past is fraught with drug abuse, no-shows and false starts. He frequently cites “burnout” as a reason for needing time off.
This is a job, not a hobby. You’re an adult, not a kid. All the great stars have experienced burnout but work through it because that’s what the profession requires. Sure, it’s demanding. You want to work a part-time schedule? Go to TNA. Oh, I forgot, you did, and you couldn’t even handle that.
The demands of wrestling are part of what makes it great. Hardy is walking away from the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance mid-card guys would kill for.
Hardy will almost certainly return to wrestling at some point. But when he does, there’s no guarantee fans will see him in the same light. There’s also no guarantee WWE will restore him to the same level.
If Jeff Hardy walks after SummerFest, he’ll regret it.
If Dr. Ken is at SummerFest, we’ll all regret it.
