Criticism has been levied against AEW following its controversial angle drawing on antisemitic actions against MJF from his childhood.
On Tuesday’s edition of Dynamite, Juice Robinson revealed a roll of quarters with the name “Friedman” written on them and promised to break his jaw.
While Robinson has frequently used a roll of quarters as a weapon, the reaction by MJF and inference was clearly drawn to MJF’s past description of bullies throwing quarters at him as a child because he was Jewish.
Outlets including TMZ and Awful Announcing have covered the story with the latter reporting that Tony Khan has privately contacted one online critic of the angle.
Earlier Thursday, Travis Akers, a Duval County school board candidate residing in Jacksonville, Florida, the home of AEW, made a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Akers brought attention to the antisemitic angle by quote-tweeting a post made by TMZ on Wednesday night. Akers claimed that he watched the show, and then after the angle happened, he changed the channel.
Akers posted (and then deleted) a message acknowledging that Tony Khan had contacted him privately. Akers confirmed to Awful Announcing that Khan messaged him and added, “We are having an on-going conversation now regarding the angle and my concerns about the anti-Semitic content.”
MJF has defended the choice noting that it is his real life and it is his story. He said he looks forward to “giving catharsis to every single person who’s ever been oppressed or bullied” and added “To anyone that thinks that can’t be done through the avenue of professional wrestling. Then that’s an indictment on things that have happened in this sports past.”
Muhammad Hassan was portraying an evil Muslim terrorist.
I’m actually Jewish. I’ve actually gone through this. This is my real life!!!!! MY STORY!
And I Look forward to giving Catharsis to every single person who’s ever been oppressed or bullied.
If you think I’d play with…
— Maxwell Jacob Friedman™️ (@The_MJF) October 11, 2023
