WWE RAW: Is R-Truth a Legitimate Star or a Joke Gimmick?

As a face, R-Truth danced and rapped. He befriended John Cena and frequently partnered with John Morrison. Fans cheered for them and he returned their affection.

R-Truth was as colorful and safe as a balloon animal. He was WWE’s Will Smith, and nearly as popular as the Fresh Prince himself.

Truth’s singing, dancing parade of fun concluded with an assault of John Morrison after losing a No. 1 contender’s match on Raw in April. The violent attack felt personal, and a heel was born.

In the coming weeks, R-Truth cut aggressive promos about systematic repression. His references to being a “good R-Truth” and being forced to satisfy “Little Jimmy” were funny, intense and directed at an instinct the entire nation is uncomfortable with--white America’s latent fear of the urban black man.

Will Smith morphed into Tupac Shakur. Riveting and political, Truth’s Raw segments stole the show on Monday nights.

The intrigue thickened as Truth began a feud with John Cena, an internationally beloved white performer who embraces urban culture. Cena, WWE’s white knight, even released a rap album a few years ago.

A feud between an urban black male and a sanitized, white version of an urban male made for exciting wrestling and an interesting social clash.

At Capitol Punishment, Truth lost a WWE Championship match against John Cena due to the interference of a young white fan in the front row—a real life “Little Jimmy.”  At best, the end of the match was corny. From there, Truth’s persona got a little cornier.

In subsequent episodes of Raw, the “Little Jimmy” gimmick went on the back burner while R-Truth began talking to his imaginary friends more often. Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole questioned Truth’s sanity, but his insanity is about as real and natural as Kevin Nash’s hair color.

It would have been easy to write off R-Truth as a heel meant to provide comic relief and work the mid-card.

Yet, a convenient, albeit strangled, alliance took Truth’s persona to a more legitimate space. The Miz assisted R-Truth in becoming a top-notch heel once again. This duo, “The Awesome Truth,” brutalized unsuspecting members of the Raw roster, including CM Punk.

Last night on Raw, R-Truth played the classic heel without being so silly that the WWE Universe can’t take him seriously as a title contender. Sure, he compared the Tag Team Champions to a “sneaky fart,” but eccentric insults won’t take Truth out of the title hunt; fake schizophrenia will.

Truth competed in vintage heel fashion as well. He grounded CM Punk with snap mares and chin locks, and focused on damaging Punk’s left leg after the Miz chopped it when Punk was outside of the ring.

Truth lost the match, as heels do, but he put on a good show and battled Punk in an even match. Given the time to develop a rivalry, Punk and Truth could wrestle in an outstanding series of matches.

My verdict: R-Truth is a valid superstar, a heel of the highest order. If he continues assailing fan favorites on Monday nights and threatening every “Little Jimmy” in the WWE Universe, his trajectory will once again turn toward main events and title matches.