Billy and Chuck
Encyclopedia
Billy and Chuck was the professional wrestling
tag team
of Billy Gunn
and Chuck Palumbo
seen in World Wrestling Entertainment
.
.
A storyline began in which Palumbo and Gunn became increasingly affectionate toward each other, showing evidence of a homosexual
relationship. The duo adopted matching red ring gear and bleached their hair with Chuck beginning to wear pigtails
. Developmental talent Rico
was placed in the role of their crafty "personal stylist"
. Billy and Chuck would win the World Tag Team Championships on two occasions, and primarily feud with the APA
.
In September 2002, Chuck proposed life partnership
to Billy, and Billy accepted. Their ceremony was aired on SmackDown!. During the commitment ceremony, Gunn and Palumbo revealed that their homosexuality was merely a publicity stunt that had gone too far, and they admitted they were only friends. Eric Bischoff
, who had disguised himself as the priest officiating the wedding, and 3-Minute Warning from Raw
then led an attack on Stephanie McMahon, the General Manager of SmackDown!. Following this incident, Rico defected to Raw and managed 3-Minute Warning. Billy and Chuck remained a team, turning face and dropping all facets of their gay-sweetheart
gimmick.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which had consulted with WWE on the storyline and helped the angle secure mainstream media coverage, denounced WWE for securing GLAAD's assistance under false pretenses. "The WWE lied to us two months ago when they promised that Billy and Chuck would come out and wed on the air."
Billy and Chuck's final match together occurred on SmackDown! in the first round of a tournament for the newly created WWE Tag Team Championship. They lost the match to the team of Ron Simmons
and Reverend D-Von. Gunn received a shoulder injury during the match, and was taken off of television. The team quietly separated with Chuck going into singles competition and Billy returned with his Mr. Ass gimmick.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
of Billy Gunn
Monty Sopp
Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
and Chuck Palumbo
Chuck Palumbo
Charles "Chuck" Palumbo is an American professional wrestler, currently working for Nu-Wrestling Evolution . Palumbo is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment...
seen in World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
.
History
Near the end of the Invasion storyline, Chuck Palumbo was kicked out of the WCW/ECW coalition. In response, he defected to the WWF, where he began teaming with Gunn in an affront to the Alliance. After the Invasion ended, the duo were turned heelHeel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
.
A storyline began in which Palumbo and Gunn became increasingly affectionate toward each other, showing evidence of a homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
relationship. The duo adopted matching red ring gear and bleached their hair with Chuck beginning to wear pigtails
Pigtails
In the context of hairstyles, the usage of the term pigtail shows considerable variation. According to most dictionaries, a pigtail is a braid of tightly woven hair. The name is based on the short, thin and kinked tail of a pig, referring to the way a short, tight braid may stand out from the...
. Developmental talent Rico
Rico Constantino
Americo Sebastiano Costantino is a retired American professional wrestler and wrestling manager of Italian origin. He is best known by his ring names Rico Costantino and Rico in World Wrestling Entertainment from 2001 to 2004...
was placed in the role of their crafty "personal stylist"
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
. Billy and Chuck would win the World Tag Team Championships on two occasions, and primarily feud with the APA
Acolytes Protection Agency
The Acolytes Protection Agency , was a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Bradshaw and Faarooq. They wrestled for the American promotion World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment between October 1998 and March 2004....
.
In September 2002, Chuck proposed life partnership
Life partner
A life partner is a romantic or otherwise very close friend for life. The partners can be of the same or opposite sexes, married or unmarried, and monogamous or polyamorous....
to Billy, and Billy accepted. Their ceremony was aired on SmackDown!. During the commitment ceremony, Gunn and Palumbo revealed that their homosexuality was merely a publicity stunt that had gone too far, and they admitted they were only friends. Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, who had disguised himself as the priest officiating the wedding, and 3-Minute Warning from Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
then led an attack on Stephanie McMahon, the General Manager of SmackDown!. Following this incident, Rico defected to Raw and managed 3-Minute Warning. Billy and Chuck remained a team, turning face and dropping all facets of their gay-sweetheart
Romantic love
Romance is the pleasurable feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.In the context of romantic love relationships, romance usually implies an expression of one's love, or one's deep emotional desires to connect with another person....
gimmick.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which had consulted with WWE on the storyline and helped the angle secure mainstream media coverage, denounced WWE for securing GLAAD's assistance under false pretenses. "The WWE lied to us two months ago when they promised that Billy and Chuck would come out and wed on the air."
Billy and Chuck's final match together occurred on SmackDown! in the first round of a tournament for the newly created WWE Tag Team Championship. They lost the match to the team of Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
and Reverend D-Von. Gunn received a shoulder injury during the match, and was taken off of television. The team quietly separated with Chuck going into singles competition and Billy returned with his Mr. Ass gimmick.
In wrestling
- Finishing tag team moves
- Code Red (Electric chair / Diving clothesline combinationDoomsday DeviceDoomsday Device, often shortened to Device, is a term used in professional wrestling to reference a tandem move in which one wrestler hoists the opponent on their shoulders so that they are facing in the same direction in what is known as the electric chair position, while another wrestler climbs...
) - Billy's finishing moves
- Fame–Ass–er (Leg drop bulldog, sometimes from the top rope)
- Chuck's finishing moves
- Superkick
- ManagerManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
s - RicoRico ConstantinoAmerico Sebastiano Costantino is a retired American professional wrestler and wrestling manager of Italian origin. He is best known by his ring names Rico Costantino and Rico in World Wrestling Entertainment from 2001 to 2004...
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "I've Got It All" by Jim JohnstonJim Johnston (composer)James Alan "Jim" Johnston is an American music composer who has been working for WWE since 1985. His work is often accredited to the names Jim Johnston, James A...
- "You Look So Good to Me" by Jim Johnston
Championships and accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Tag Team of the Year (2002)
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF/E Tag Team Championship (2 times)