Lars Sullivan did not work today’s WWE SmackDown live event in Helsinki, Finland or the WWE RAW live event in Marseille, France.
There’s no word yet on why Sullivan was not used, but he did work Thursday’s blue brand show in Dublin, Ireland. Sullivan attacked R-Truth after the opening match, which saw Truth and Carmella defeat Andrade and Zelina Vega.
It will be interesting to see if Lars resumes working the tour before Monday’s RAW and Tuesday’s SmackDown TV shows in London, England.
It’s worth noting that Sullivan missed a live event on the same day he issued a public apology for the bigoted and misogynistic comments that resurfaced on social media this week, some that were made after he signed with WWE. As noted, Lars issued the following apology to us earlier today:
“There is no excuse for the inappropriate remarks that I made years ago. They do not reflect my personal beliefs nor who I am today, and I apologize to anyone I offended.”
The controversial comments have been around for a while but they resurfaced this week after a fan compiled them onto one Reddit thread. That link was tweeted to Big E and he responded, becoming the first WWE Superstar to publicly do so. Kalisto later responded. It was reported earlier this week, via @Wrestlevotes, that WWE officials were aware of the comments, but they reportedly hoped that the situation would “stay low and disappear” for everyone. Today’s public apology and the live event absence is fueling speculation on WWE getting involved.
There could also be pressure on WWE from sponsors. A Reddit user named Snitchboy has posted a letter he received from Mars Wrigley Confectionery after he e-mailed them about the comments made by Lars. The candy company recently became a top WWE sponsor and indicated that they have reached out to WWE about Lars.
The fan wrote the following to Mars with a link to the comments: “Dear Snickers, one of the companies you sponsor, the WWE is heavily featuring a wrestler by the name of Lars Sullivan (portrayed by Dylan Miley) who has made many internet comments praising mass shooters, espousing hatred and mocking black, mentally ill, and gay people. Does that represent Mars as a company? If so, I’ll have to choose a different snack brand that more identifies with American values.”
Mars responded to the fan with the following letter:
“Dear Loyal Consumer,
Thank you for reaching out to Mars Wrigley Confectionaery with your comments.
We learned of Lars Sullivan’s comments recently and share in your shock and disgust. As a values-based company, we find his behavior abhorrent and unacceptable. We have engaged the WWE to discuss this situation and seek to understand what actions they will take to swiftly address this matter.
We hope this information is helpful and wish you a great day!
Your Friends at Mars Wrigley Confectionery”
Stay tuned for updates on Lars’ WWE tour status and the situation with the controversial comments.
