Posted in: Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: wrestling, wwe

WWE Superstars Beat Up Coronavirus in Bizarre Happy New Years Ad

Things took a turn for the bizarre on WWE Smackdown last night when WWE aired a "special message" to the WWE Universe from WWE to celebrate the end of 2020. In the video, Drew McIntyre attempts to cut a promo in the Thunderdome wrapping up the year 2020 when the year's music hits and a CGI 2020 heads to the ring. The cartoon, anthropomorphic year is green and slimy and surrounded by a fine green mist, and it's hard under the circumstances to not imagine it as a representation of the coronavirus itself.

It comes to the ring and tells McIntyre, "I missed a zoom call for this?! Sorry, was this supposed to be your year? Were you planning a vacation or gonna go to the big game? You wish you were here in person? Like you were gonna go to the gym anyway. I've been trending worldwide every day because this is my year. You wanna keep booing me? Pipe down or I'll sic my murder hornets on you."

"Alright 2020," McIntyre replies. "Enough is enough. You ruined birthdays, graduations, and we're sick of it. I'm personally gonna make sure we get rid of you once and for all."

"Drew McIntyre is taking the fight to 2020," declares Michael Cole as McIntyre hits the year with a Claymore kick. "And he's not alone!" shouts Cole as Roman Reigns delivers a Superman punch. Bayley hits a diving forearm. John Cena hits the Five-Knuckle Shuffle. (God, I miss John Cena. Why do I miss John Cena?!) The New Day eat popcorn and cheer from the stands. Sasha Banks hits a frogsplash. Asuka hits an ass attack. Rey Mysterio hits the 619. Ricochet hits a 630.  Seth Rollins hits a stomp. Nia Jax gorilla presses the year onto a garbage can. Randy Orton hits an RKO.

The year looks defeated, but then sits up. "What's it gonna take?!" Michael Cole wonders. Music hits and an anthropomorphic 2021 appears on the entrance ramp. "It's 2021!" Cole shouts. "A new year is here! This'll put an end to 2020."

Is it a stretch to say 2020 looks a little bit like Drix, the anthropomorphic cold pill from the 2001 animated flick Osmosis Jones voiced by David Hyde Pierce that enters Bill Murray's body to assist Chris Rock's titular white blood cell in battling an out-of-control respiratory virus? Is it a stretch to say 2020 looks a little bit like Drix, the anthropomorphic cold pill from the 2001 animated flick Osmosis Jones voiced by David Hyde Pierce that enters Bill Murray's body to assist Chris Rock's titular white blood cell in battling an out-of-control respiratory virus?

2021 hits a jumping piledriver on 2020, demolishing its body into a puddle of steaming green goo and sending its decapitated head hurtling toward the camera. "WWE wishes you a happy… and healthy… new year," says Cole as 2021 poses with Drew McIntyre.

The whole thing is meant to be cathartic for viewers, but it seems more like Vince McMahon, famous for hating sneezing (because he can't control it), is working out his own issues with the virus that killed his live event business, took away the crowd from wrestling, and has altered plans all year as WWE encountered multiple outbreaks due to lax testing procedures. The coronavirus even likely cost McMahon's friend and WWE Hall-of-Famer Donald Trump his presidential reelection campaign. 2020 and the coronavirus pandemic have affected all of us in profound ways, but none of us have a billion-dollar company and a roster of human action figures to act out our revenge fantasies with.

Watch the commercial below.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!