The Story Behind Shawn Michaels' Awkward Canadian Home Shopping Network Appearance
It's common knowledge that WWE legend Shawn Michaels has a long and complicated history with the nation of Canada. Many fans might believe that the mutual disdain between Michaels and the Great White North started with the classic 1996-1997 feud against Bret Hart, but the roots of Michaels' dislike of Canada could date just a little farther back than that.
Our story begins just over the border, in the state of New York, with the infamous "Syracuse incident" — when Michaels was reportedly beaten up by somewhere between one and nine U.S. Marines after flirting with the wrong woman at a bar. As you might be able to guess, Michaels probably wasn't feeling great, physically or mentally, in the days and weeks following the altercation, and a short time later, after deciding to take some time off from in-ring action, Michaels was set to make an appearance on the Canadian Home Shopping Network.
Things Become Awkward on the Canadian Home Shopping Network
Even under the circumstances, Michaels almost certainly could have powered through the appearance without incident, but it quickly became clear that the host of the CHSN show, apparently named Norm, didn't intend to make things easy for the wrestler. Before Michaels even arrives onscreen for the hour-long appearance, the host appears to be attempting to play the role of a wrestling heel. He acts obnoxiously disrespectful towards the performer, calling Michaels a "chump" and stating that he hasn't bothered to arrive for the show on time. Things only become more uncomfortable as Michaels does arrive less than a minute later, clearly not in the best of moods.
Michaels mentions the fact that he isn't wrestling due to feeling "under the weather," almost certainly referring to the events in Syracuse that took place just weeks before. Norm foolishly tries to press the issue, with Michaels finally relenting and revealing on national (Canadian) television that he was attacked in Syracuse by nine men, and later collapsed in the ring during a match.
Michaels vs. Norm
As the appearance goes on, things grow more and more tense, as Norm and Michaels, along with WWE's "Mayor of Merchandise" Barry Didinsky, go back and forth awkwardly while attempting to sell undeniably lame merchandise. Some of the highlights of the show include Michaels remarking that Didinski is there to babysit him so he doesn't get himself in trouble, Michaels specifically noting that Bret Hart is "no friend of mine," and Michaels dragging Norm to the ground before carrying him offscreen like he's a small child.
Over the years, especially following the infamous "Montreal Screwjob" in 1997, Michaels would become a despised heel throughout Canada. It's safe to say that, as uncomfortable as this experience is for viewers, it was likely even more uncomfortable for Michaels himself. We wouldn't be surprised if this was the first step towards Michaels harboring an antagonistic feeling towards the nation that would become clear in the years that followed.