After a defence lawyer blamed the killing of a six-year-old on pro wrestling, the Parents Television Council went to war with the World Wrestling Federation. Lifelong pro wrestling fan, Ben, talks Rich through this bad blood feud: in one corner “family values” and in the other corner the sex and violence of “attitude era” pro wrestling. We explore the increasingly fraught tactics used by both organizations, and, surprisingly, what the battle tells us about modern culture wars, the American right, and Donald Trump. Let’s get ready to rumblllleeee.

Bozell, B (2023) Free Speech Week calls for a return to First Amendment liberties. Washington Examiner. Oct. 20.

Calvert, C., & Richards, R. D. (2010). The Parents Television Council Uncensored: An Inside Look at the Watchdog of the Public Airwaves and the War on Indecency with Its President, Tim Winter. Hastings Comm. & Ent. LJ, 33, 293

Dale, M. J. (2003). Making Sense of the Lionel Tate Case. Nova L. Rev., 28, 467.

Farhi, P (2002) TV Watchdog Apologizes for False Claims on Wrestling. The Washington Post. 9th July.

Foley, M (2001) Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker Than Wrestling. Regan Books.

Lowney, K. S. (2003). Wrestling with Criticism: The World Wrestling Federation's Ironic Campaign against the Parents Television Council. Symbolic Interaction, 26(3), 427-446.

Sagba, C (2000) Vince McMahon Talks About Suing PTC and Negotiations with WCW!, IGN, June 18th,

Sammond, N. (2005). Squaring the family circle: WWF Smackdown assaults the social body. In Sammond, N. (Ed.) Steel chair to the head: the pleasure and pain of professional wrestling. Duke University Press, pp.132-166.

Specer, T (2000) Is Pro Wrestling to Blame for girls death? South Coast Today. 16th April.

[Video] The Rock Confronts Right to Censor At Smackdown

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Hosts – Rich McCulloch and Ben Litherland

Music by - Brutalust (Colin Frank and Maria Sappho), recorded and mixed by Joe Christman

Creative producer – Rachel Wood

Technical producer – Caroline Pringle

Technical production – Colin Frank