WCW's Most Uncomfortable Gimmick, Explained
Quick Links
Although professional wrestling is supposed to be entertainment, even it isn't immune to controversial gimmicks and angles that many argue shouldn't have been conceived of in the first place. And even though controversy can sometimes get people talking about the wrestling show, it can also make the promoters look bad in the long run. For instance, a legendary organization like World Championship Wrestling may have had its quality moments, but the company also had a reputation for creating angles in bad taste. A case in point was the infamous "Last Call" Scott Hall angle in WCW that was among the most controversial and uncomfortable moments in professional wrestling history, where Scott Hall appeared drunk on WCW TV as a storyline.
RELATED: Origins Of The Bad Guy: A Look At Scott Hall's Early Wrestling Career In AWA
Controversial Angles In Professional Wrestling
If there's one thing history's got right about the professional wrestling industry, controversial angles have been and will always be a part of the business. For instance, even long after WWE became TV-PG in mid-2008, as the company went a more cautious route to improve its image, one can still look back at some of the most controversial angles and storylines that were over-the-top to where it could've hurt WWE in the long run.
While controversial angles and storylines have happened in the modern generation of professional wrestling, the 1990s was a different story, as talent could express themselves more freely. After all, the 1990s was the same decade that showcased the real-life animosity between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels on WWE TV, a rivalry culminating during the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997. Over in World Championship Wrestling, Scott Hall's real-life problems were showcased as part of the entertainment on WCW programming, which many cite as one of the lowest points in the organization's history.
RELATED: 10 Weird Moments From Scott Hall's WCW Career We Completely Forgot About
Scott Hall Comes To World Championship Wrestling
Scott Hall, once known as Razor Ramon in WWE, is among the most influential professional wrestlers in the history of the business. Breaking out as Razor Ramon when he made his WWE debut in 1992, Hall had an overwhelming successful four-year run in the company, despite never winning the WWE Championship.
When Hall left WWE for WCW in 1996, it was WWE's loss to WCW's gain as he helped kick-start the Monday Night Wars with the formation of the New World Order, becoming a major asset for WCW's success during the late 1990s.
"Last Call" Scott Hall Was One Of The Most Controversial Angles In WCW
Although Scott Hall's WCW run was a success, even he had his lows regarding creative booking. As it's no secret that Hall had a history of battling with additions, WCW decided to showcase his real-life issues in an on-screen storyline. WCW would incorporate these real-life issues into the NWO civil war storyline in 1998, between NWO Hollywood and NWO Wolfpac.
After Scott Hall switched over to NWO Hollywood by turning on his best friend Kevin Nash, Hall's alcohol addictions began to tie into his feud with Nash in 1998, with him seemingly on a downward spiral as part of his on-screen character. WCW's controversial storyline had Scott Hall arriving on WCW TV looking intoxicated out of his mind, always needing a coffee to sober up.
Some fans who grew up during the storyline may remember the match between Scott Hall and Lex Luger on a September 1998 episode of Monday Nitro, where Hall appeared intoxicated to the point where he couldn't continue the match, even proceeding to throw up on Eric Bischoff and one of the TV cameras at ringside with Kevin Nash and members of the NWO Wolfpac present.
What's worst about Hall's "Last Call" storyline is it ruined the potential of his feud with Nash, a rivalry that could've been more acclaimed and fondly remembered if it weren't for Scott Hall's real-life problems getting inserted.
The "Last Call" storyline ended when he and Nash squared off in a singles match at the Halloween Havoc 1998, with Nash dominating Hall by delivering his finishing Powerbomb maneuver to him multiple times while even taunting his alcohol addiction. Even though Scott Hall technically won via Count Out when Kevin Nash decided to walk out of the match, it was Nash who got the best out of Hall, with him looking weak while simultaneously intoxicated once again.
RELATED: Every Stable & Tag Team That Scott Hall Has Been Part Of, Ranked Worst To BestScott Hall and Kevin Nash's rivalry continued after Halloween Havoc 1998, but the "Last Call" storyline ended. WCW using Scott Hall's real-life problems got an overwhelmingly negative reception, as it even got voted the Wrestling Observer's Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic in 1998.
