By Wade Keller, Torch editor

Robert from Irmo, S.C. asks: Why did Heindenreich & Christy Hemi leave WWE (or were let go) so suddenly?

WK: We had reported in the Torch Newsletter that Christy Hemme was let go because Stephanie McMahon heard that she was flirty with and travelling with Triple H and Batista on a European tour. Christy has denied that. She, of course, was told she was let go "because creative had nothing for her," which is WWE's "catch-all" (lawsuit-insulating, hurt-feelings-dampening) reason they give almost everyone. Heidenreich was a bad match for the WWE lifestyle. He was cracking under the pressure from the travel, and he also knew he wasn't very good in the ring and couldn't keep up with his colleagues. He was an easy cut because there was no money in him over the long run, not did it appear he was suited for the lifestyle.

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Paul K asks: I was wondering what you thought about a storyline idea where, to get the ultimate swerve on Vince, HBK brings Bret Hart back to stick to him (Vince). That way they can get his DVD promoted and it can get some heat up for the HOF ceremonies. They could go all sorts of directions with this idea. I think and it would be a ratings draw with Hart coming back. Just an idea.

WK: I think if Bret Hart participated in person at WrestleMania in any way but to accept his Hall of Fame induction, he will be selling out a lot of things he has said he would never do in the past. The fact that he chose to put having some control over his "legacy" ahead of his principle that he never wanted to work for WWE again, and thus let Vince McMahon make money off of something he participated in, had to be tough enough for him to ultimately do. The idea of taking it step further by being at WrestleMania and allowing WWE to promote that to help PPV sales is another step away from his previous statements of not wanting to work with McMahon. He is saying that McMahon calling him after his stroke softened his stance. I'm not sure if softened it enough for him to partake in an angle based around the Montreal Screwjob, though. That would be difficult for him to defend, even if Vince McMahon saved his life by shoving him out from under a falling piano. If the scenario you came up with did happen, though, it would make for good television - assuming you are among the few who still care about the overexposed 1997 incident.

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Steve Savino asks: I am curious as to why WWE has had no interest in pushing the tag team division for the past decade or more. In the late 1980's Vince made a lot of money featuring teams such as Demolition, The Powers of Pain, The British Bulldogs, The Hart Foundation, The Rockers, The Brain Busters, The Rougeau Brothers, and The Islanders. The feuds between these teams were memorable, and were always featured prominently on PPV and SNME shows. Why would Vince turn his back what was once a great revenue-producer?

WK: You are confused. Those teams simply filled time on the undercard which featured singles wrestler who actually drew, such as Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and Ultimate Warrior. Or so the McMahon's think. I personally believe WWE would be more successful if they pushed the tag division better. I know in the 1980s I paid money to see tag team matches with the Hart Foundation, British Bulldogs, Dream Team at my local arena. Even back then, when those tag teams were featured, it wasn't something McMahon entirely believed in. The McMahon family, and unfortunately Stephanie McMahon is included in this, believe that tag teams don't draw, and it's a burden to pay four wrestlers when it's easier to pay two to have a singles match. A recent PWTorch.com poll indicated strong support for an MNM vs. Paul London & Brian Kendrick feud (84%), but instead WWE is on the verge of giving us MNM vs. Matt Hardy & Animal, which received only 16 percent of votes. So it's not just that WWE doesn't push the tag division well, when they do push it a little, they make bad choices (such as Animal & Heidenreich, Rene Dupree & Sylvain Grenier, etc.)

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John Doonan asks: Don't you find it surprising that "insider" fans haven't come up with some kind of "son-in-law" chant directed at Triple H? Also, how long will Vince allow Triple H to be on top to please Steph if the almighty dollar tells him to push other wrestlers?

WK: Good questions. Triple H has toned down his involvement in the top storylines on Raw since WrestleMania 21 due to time away and purposely stepping back for a while. Of course, he is about to return to the spotlight just in time for WrestleMania, so like Jeff Jarrett stepping back when TNA had no TV clearance only to return to the main events once they got on Spike TV, Hunter is picking his spots. I don't know why there hasn't been more of a rebellion against Hunter, because his matches lately and especially his promos have been mundane enough to warrant a rebellion. Vince McMahon, meanwhile, really believes in Hunter's character as a top act. Hunter was the one who had pushed to step back for a while, and Vince told him he needed him to step up, not step back, because the roster was so thin. So Hunter, even when he does have moments of humility, finds them thwarted by Vince pressuring him to keep delivering on top .

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Background on Torch editor Wade Keller: Torch editor Wade Keller founded Pro Wrestling Torch in September 1987. He has been interviewed as a wrestling expert by dozens of TV and radio stations across the country; he has also been quoted in dozens of major newspapers and magazines across the world. Media entities that have featured Keller in stories covering wrestling include National Public Radio, Fox News Channel, ESPN Magazine, the New York Post, Entertainment Weekly, the All-News Channel, the Associated Press, and the Washington Post. He also hosted his own weekly two hour wrestling talk show on KFAN sport radio in the '90s. Over the past 17 years Keller has also interviewed, one-on-one, wrestling's top names for in-depth "Torch Talks" and feature articles including powerbrokers such as Vince McMahon, Eric Bischoff, Jerry Jarrett, Bill Watts, Jim Cornette, Jim Crockett, Jim Herd, Paul Heyman, Ed Ferrara, Terry Taylor, Kevin Sullivan, Jim Ross, and Vince Russo; top wrestling stars such as The Rock, Steve Austin, Kevin Nash, Mick Foley, Matt & Jeff Hardy, Rick Steamboat, Jerry Lawler, Bill Goldberg, British Bulldog, Road Warrior Hawk, Jesse Ventura, and Hulk Hogan; and legends such as Lou Thesz, Gordon Solie, Bruno Sammartino, Roy Shires, Terry Funk, and Verne Gagne. He is also host of the nationally distributed Ultimate Insiders DVD series.

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