Tim White (wrestling)
Encyclopedia
Timothy Rhys White is a former professional wrestling
referee
. He worked with World Wrestling Entertainment
as a producer on the SmackDown! brand. During the 1980s and 1990s, White worked as André the Giant
's assistant in addition to his referee duties.
and Chris Jericho
at Judgment Day
. At WrestleMania XX
in 2004, White returned to referee the match between Jericho and Christian
. He re-injured his shoulder during the final three count of the match, thus ending his referee career.
. In a segment, a "despondent" White was interviewed by SmackDown! reporter Josh Mathews inside the bar he owned, The Friendly Tap in Cumberland, Rhode Island
. He was depicted drinking large amounts of alcohol
, claiming that the aforementioned Hell in a Cell match "ruined his life." He then proceeded to take a shotgun
out from under the bar and, off screen, fired the gun, apparently intending to kill himself
. This sketch was considered all the more distasteful due to the death of Eddie Guerrero
a month earlier.
On January 6, 2006, it was revealed that White had shot his foot accidentally during the "ordeal". But when asked by Josh Mathews about his new year's resolutions, he proceeded to scarf down a box full of rat poison
, and subsequently fell over in his chair. This segment was leaked onto the internet several days earlier and included was the uncut footage of the post-segment which included the producers as well as White goofing around using some mildly foul language. On January 15, 2006, White was interviewed by Mathews again, but this time he tried to hang himself
; fortunately, the rope broke. For weeks afterward, WWE's official website uploaded a new video showing Matthews trying to interview White who is about to commit suicide each week in a different way. This became a regular segment on WWE's website and was given the name of "Lunchtime Suicide", uploaded every Thursday at lunch time.
On April 6, 2006, WWE.com uploaded a video where White did not attempt to commit suicide. In fact, he invited Mathews to a party at the Friendly Tap Bar to take place the following week. The next week, White invited Mathews to a party, which ended with White shooting Matthews. White was released from WWE on January 9, 2009.
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...
referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
. He worked with 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...
as a producer on the SmackDown! brand. During the 1980s and 1990s, White worked as André the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
's assistant in addition to his referee duties.
Referee
White was a referee for WWE until, in 2002, he suffered a shoulder injury during a Hell in a Cell match between Triple HTriple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
and Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
at Judgment Day
Judgment Day (2002)
Judgment Day was the fourth annual Judgment Day professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on May 19, 2002, at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee. It featured talent from the Raw and SmackDown! brands...
. At WrestleMania XX
WrestleMania XX
WrestleMania XX was the twentieth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on March 14, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York....
in 2004, White returned to referee the match between Jericho and Christian
Jason Reso
William Jason Reso is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Christian and Christian Cage...
. He re-injured his shoulder during the final three count of the match, thus ending his referee career.
Lunchtime Suicide
On December 18, 2005 White made a controversial on-screen appearance at the Armageddon pay-per-viewPay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
. In a segment, a "despondent" White was interviewed by SmackDown! reporter Josh Mathews inside the bar he owned, The Friendly Tap in Cumberland, Rhode Island
Cumberland, Rhode Island
Cumberland is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States, incorporated in 1746. The population was 33,506 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. He was depicted drinking large amounts of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, claiming that the aforementioned Hell in a Cell match "ruined his life." He then proceeded to take a shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
out from under the bar and, off screen, fired the gun, apparently intending to kill himself
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. This sketch was considered all the more distasteful due to the death of Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
a month earlier.
On January 6, 2006, it was revealed that White had shot his foot accidentally during the "ordeal". But when asked by Josh Mathews about his new year's resolutions, he proceeded to scarf down a box full of rat poison
Rat poison
Rodenticides are a category of pest control chemicals intended to kill rodents.Single feed baits are chemicals sufficiently dangerous that the first dose is sufficient to kill....
, and subsequently fell over in his chair. This segment was leaked onto the internet several days earlier and included was the uncut footage of the post-segment which included the producers as well as White goofing around using some mildly foul language. On January 15, 2006, White was interviewed by Mathews again, but this time he tried to hang himself
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
; fortunately, the rope broke. For weeks afterward, WWE's official website uploaded a new video showing Matthews trying to interview White who is about to commit suicide each week in a different way. This became a regular segment on WWE's website and was given the name of "Lunchtime Suicide", uploaded every Thursday at lunch time.
On April 6, 2006, WWE.com uploaded a video where White did not attempt to commit suicide. In fact, he invited Mathews to a party at the Friendly Tap Bar to take place the following week. The next week, White invited Mathews to a party, which ended with White shooting Matthews. White was released from WWE on January 9, 2009.