Hello Reader! For the next part in this series, I’m going to look at the WWE’s on-screen portrayal of Jeff Hardy’s addiction issues. Before we get into it, I want to point out that you can find various interviews with Jeff in which he admits to being a willing participant in bringing his issues to the screen, and even enjoyed it. However, on an episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy (see below for full episode), Jeff’s brother speculates that having these issues brought up consistently on-screen, or as part of a creative process, could chip away at someone’s sobriety. To put it simply – it’s complicated.
Jeff Hardy forms chapter 2 of the academic side of my thesis, and in the coming weeks I’m going to get solidly into the writing of this chapter. For now I’d like to plot a timeline of how real life events interwove with the fictional (as I did with the 2005 Love Triangle). Know this is not intended as some kind of shameful rap sheet – the point is to see at which points in Jeff’s sobriety journey the WWE sought to commodify his issues. At the end of the timeline, you’ll find some of my initial critical ideas, which will be explored and written up in the coming months.
April 22, 2003 – Jeff released from WWE for erratic behaviour, drug use, refusal to go to rehab, as well as constant tardiness and no-showing events
March 11, 2008 – Jeff has to drop WWE Intercontinental title for second violation of company’s Substance Abuse and Drug Testing Policy, which results in 60-day suspension
November 23, 2008 – WWE runs a storyline at Survivor Series in which Jeff Hardy is found unconscious in his hotel room. This story is picked up by TMZ, AOL and NBC, and clearly plays into fan knowledge of Hardy’s issues (go to 40:09 when JR and Tazz deliver this news)
2008 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards, ‘Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic’: Teasing a Jeff Hardy drug overdose to garner late interest in a PPV
July 10, 2009 – During storyline with CM Punk, Punk delivers these lines:
“This is polymoxin B sulphate. I have to apply this to my eye three times a day. The only way you obtain this is with a prescription. From a doctor. Now, I know you know a thing or two about prescription medication, but what I don’t think you realise is that you have to go to a doctor to legally obtain some.”
“Jeff, you’ve got two strikes [referring to WWE Wellness Policy], you know how many I have? Zero. Jeff, you know how many times I’ve been suspended? Zero … You know how many times I’ve been to a rehab facility? That’s right. Zero.”
(go to 28:10 for this promo)
September 11, 2009 – Jeff is arrested on charges of drug trafficking in controlled prescription pills and possession of anabolic steroids
March 13, 2011 – At TNA Victory Road, Jeff’s match with Sting is cut short after Hardy is too intoxicated to wrestle, coming out visibly under the influence during his entrance. The following day he’s sent home from TV tapings
October 3-14, 2011 – Jeff serves his ten-day prison sentence for his 2009 arrest
July 13, 2019 – Jeff is arrested in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for public intoxication
October 3, 2019 – Jeff is arrested and charged with driving while impaired in Moore County, North Carolina
May to July, 2020 – Jeff’s on-screen feud with Sheamus centres around his addiction issues. During this feud, Sheamus repeatedly calls Jeff a “junkie” and on July 3 SmackDown, says:
“Take the drink. Come on, look, I know you man. I see the pain in your eyes. I feel the pressure on your shoulders. Dude, you don’t have to pretend to be strong for any of these people anymore. Do what you’ve always done, Jeff. Follow your instincts.”
So, below is my initial plan for the chapter. Although it’s not mentioned here, I also plan to explore the possibility that Jeff transposed his addiction issues onto his in-ring performance, particularly his high-risk style.
This chapter examines the use of Jeff Hardy’s substance abuse issues in WWE storylines from 2008–2020. I use McConnell and Snoek’s work “The Importance of Self-narration in Recovery From Addiction” (2018) to close-read Hardy’s ‘work, shoot confessional’ storylines with CM Punk (2009) and Sheamus (2020). Here, I argue that pro wrestling’s feud-based dramaturgical structure, based on clear moral poles, places Hardy at greater risk of valuing his ‘disvalued self-narrative’ (McConnell and Snoek 31) as a ‘junkie’ (WWE ‘Smackdown – 5 Jun 2020’) when confessing on-screen. A key part of this, I argue, is that Hardy’s confession is counterposed by the co-authors of Hardy’s self-narrative – a heel character condemning addicts and the plausibility of their redemption narratives, and above him, the promoter of a monopolistic entity, i.e. McMahon at WWE.
That’s it for now. As I said, more to come in the months ahead. I’d love to hear any opinions on Jeff’s on-screen portrayal during his career!
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