WWE: Why A.W. and Tensai Shouldn't Be Punished for Recent Remarks

WWE performers Tensai and A.W. have found themselves in the midst of controversy following their respective remarks. A.W. made a joke about Kobe Bryant's rape allegations while Tensai posted a video on Tout playing up stereotypes about Japanese people.

According to NoDQ.com, the WWE has issued an apology on A.W. and Tensai's behalf and had Tensai take down his Tout video. WWE representatives have assured that Tensai and A.W. will receive some kind of repercussions for their comments.

I don't believe they should.

Storylines and characters are integral aspects of professional wrestling. Just like in a movie, there is a fundamental struggle between good and evil. The fans root for the good guy to defeat the bad guy.

The bad guy in a movie is no different from the heel in pro wrestling. Just like it is the actor's job to convince us to hate him and root for the hero, it is the heel's job to garner heat for himself and make us cheer for the babyface.

Personally, I find the backlash from A.W. and Tensai's actions to be nothing short of silly. A.W. having to apologize for his comment during Raw is comparable to Tom Hardy having to apologize for Bane's murders in The Dark Knight Rises.

Part of the blame can be attributed to the blurred lines between what is kayfabe and what is legitimate. A look at the dirt sheets or a Google search can easily explain any and all happenings behind the proverbial curtain. There isn't much separation between a person and his character.

Regardless, A.W. and Tensai are still characters. Tensai's remarks may have been racist in nature, but the comments came from the character. If it was Matt Bloom that had made the comment, it would be an entirely different story.

This hyper-sensitivity from both the WWE and consumers is detrimental to business. By eliminating this method of garnering heat, it makes it harder for the heels to get booed. Thus, the product as a whole suffers.

That said, I can certainly understand why the WWE reacted the way they did. With all the bad publicity pro wrestling has received in the last decade, it's only natural that the WWE would try and protect themselves when their talent make comments on such touchy subjects.

In the end, all WWE wrestlers are characters. Their job is to, how they say, "get over." I find it plain wrong that they should get punished for just trying to do their job.

Michael Prunka is a Bleacher Report Featured Columnist. To stay up to date with his WWE and NHL commentary, you can like his Facebook page, follow him on Twitter, and follow him on Tout.