8 months ago
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During The Rock’s segment on the March 1st, 2024 edition of WWE SmackDown, viewers noticed several instances where the screen went black for several seconds.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com shed some light on the matter, explaining that these blackouts occurred due to the presence of a fan holding a “DIE ROCKY DIE” sign, which the network deemed necessary to censor.
“The random blackouts on tonight’s #SmackDown broadcast on FOX was because of a fan that has a “Die Rocky Die” sign that the network is censoring.”
The sign’s message likely referenced The Rock’s controversial “Die Rocky Die” chants from the early days of his wrestling career, which were directed at him during his initial WWE run. Despite the passage of time and The Rock’s immense success, such references may still elicit strong reactions from both fans and the network.
In addition to the censorship of the sign, there were moments during the broadcast where the audio was muted due to profane chants from the audience. This is a common practice in live television broadcasts to maintain a family-friendly viewing experience and adhere to network standards.
Overall, these instances of censorship highlight the complexities involved in balancing the spontaneity of live events with the need to maintain appropriate content for a wide audience.
