While speaking on his podcast, 1 Of A Kind With RVD, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam addressed the controversy surrounding racism accusations leveled against TNA star Tessa Blanchard. Van Dam, who has worked with a wide array of talent throughout his career, shared his perspective on the situation.
RVD said, “When I met her, I thought she was cool. Firsthand, she’s always been nice, and I’ve never had any issues with her. She gets a lot of s*** from other girls and, of course, from the fans. At worst, it seems like a case of mismatched values and probably a misunderstanding.”
“I know a lot of people think she’s racist. I can’t say one way or another, but I’m never surprised when someone is racist. It’s really common where I grew up. There was a lot of racism there. Right before I was born, they ended segregation. The government used to tell you it was okay to be racist—it was your obligation to be racist. That was the way it was. So when people, especially those older than me—like Hogan or someone—have allegations against them, I’m not shocked. But when it comes to her, from what I’ve heard, there’s not enough evidence for me to feel strongly either way. She could be racist, or she could not be.”
“And if she is, I don’t really see why that should matter in the entertainment world—unless being racist is her whole identity and she’s pushing that message. In that case, I can see how it would interfere with her job. It’s like with people who are overly political—they push their values on everyone else and think others are wrong for not sharing them.”
“I’ve thought before that if someone says something blatantly racist—if it truly comes across like they believe they are superior because of their skin color—then their stupidity shines through. But that’s different from someone yelling the most hurtful word they can think of in the heat of the moment. It’s the same as calling someone fat in an argument just to hurt them or making fun of someone’s bald head during a fight. People think throwing in an insult gives them leverage. It’s kind of like a defense mechanism—part of our survival instincts. So, if she did say the word, that alone doesn’t automatically make her something. It just means she tried to hurt someone and chose a word she thought would do that. And that’s what I believe.”
