UFC President Dana White rounded up a couple of his rich buddies and started Power Slap fighting league, then used his “Sin City” influence to score commission approval from athletic regulators in Nevada.
The goal in slap fighting is exactly what it sounds like: two poorly-compensated opponents trade unprotected slaps (regardless of this nonsensical rebuttal) until someone is rendered unconscious or loses by points.
U.S. Congressmen Bill Pascrell Jr. (New Jersey) and Don Bacon (Nebraska) are not amused.
Today @RepDonBacon and I are asking TBS and Warner Bros about their crass new TV show “The Power Slap” glorifying terrible violence.
Where are the warnings to this mindless violence? Traumatic brain injury isn’t entertainment. pic.twitter.com/LIWGWtvm2s
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) February 15, 2023
Here’s a snip:
“From what we can tell, The Power Slap capitalizes on violent behavior and lurid drama masquerading as athletic prowess for profit. Participants are subject to sudden and powerful blows to the head and face causing rotational acceleration, a primary cause of concussion and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). In recent years a large body of evidence has established CTE as a direct cause of memory decline, impaired cognition, depression, impulsive behavior, suicidal ideations, parkinsonism, and dementia.”
The full letter below:
Here’s our letter demanding answers from @warnerbros @TBSNetwork on their violent new TV show glorifying traumatic brain injury risks. pic.twitter.com/MV4rruLv6a
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) February 15, 2023
The letter is “demanding answers” from Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, with a copy sent to Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel. Warner Bros. is the parent company of TBS, current home of Power Slap television programming.
For how much longer remains to be seen.