PROGRESS! Mexican wrestler walks to ring, white man rides lawnmower
Demonstrating its commitment to eschewing the racial stereotypes of its past, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) recently hosted an event during which a Mexican wrestler walked to the ring while his white manservant rode a lawnmower.
Alberto Del Rio made a triumphant surprise return — on foot — to accept John Cena’s US Open Challenge, while former bigot Zeb Colter rolled out on a riding lawnmower (which looked uncannily like a mobility scooter).
It’s a sign of the times for WWE, which has traditionally portrayed Mexicans as poor day laborers, black people as dancing jive-talkers, and midgets as leprechauns.
This transition has led some pundits to refer to present-day WWE as The Equality Era.
Some prejudices remain, however: Puerto Ricans are bullfighters, British people are snooty monarchs, and all Samoan people are related to the Rock (though the latter seems mostly true, with the exception of Samoa Joe).
WWE executives are hoping everyone will just eventually forget about Akeem The African Dream.