Feb. 24, 2001


Nitro hit an all-time low with a 2.0 rating last week – the lowest number ever for that show in its regular time slot. Reports now have WCW possibly scrapping plans to go dark in April prior to the relaunch of the “new WCW.” Sources say that talks finalizing Time Warner’s sale of WCW to Fusient Media Ventures have hit snags. The company is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars each week – in salaries alone – while Turner Broadcasting officials rush to close the deal.

“Holy cow,” said one WCW performer. “I don’t know where this company is going. I keep hearing that Eric’s (Bischoff) having problems closing this deal. The word is that Eric pretty much sold these guys a bill of goods, and now they’re really starting to look at it.”

A racial discrimination lawsuit filed more than a year ago against the company also has created problems during sale negotiations.

Last week’s mock funeral of Kevin Nash was a case of bad timing on WCW’s part. Only one day after NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt’s death at Daytona, the Nitro segment from Huntsville, Ala., complete with casket and somber music, was taste less, and yet another example of the com pany’s lack of respect for Southern tradi tion.

The best segment on last week’s Nitro was Jeff Jarrett doing the hilarious imper sonation of “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. Sadly, though, Jarrett’s spoof on Dusty was more over than any of his own characters.