Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) has proposed resolving a Twitter feud involving Ron Perlman with a wrestling match. Cruz has proposed a match between the 70-year-old actor, known for his role as “Hellboy,” and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a former wrestling coach.
Listen Hellboy. You talk good game when you’ve got Hollywood makeup & stuntmen. But I’ll bet $10k—to the nonpolitical charity of your choice—that you couldn’t last 5 min in the wrestling ring w/ @Jim_Jordan w/o getting pinned. You up for it? Or does your publicist say too risky? https://t.co/eRerYVe5kj
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 15, 2020
Cruz accompanied the proposal with a $10,000 bet on the outcome, in an early-morning tweet Monday. He sought to come to the aid of Jordan, whom Perlman had suggested was ugly as he sparred on Twitter with another GOP congressman.
Perlman objected to a tweet by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) criticizing a recent vote by the U.S. Soccer board of directors to repeal a policy that requires players to stand for the national anthem.
As part of his response, Perlman posted a photo of Jordan, writing, “You’re lucky for this guy, Matt. If it weren’t for him you’d be the ugliest politician walking.”
Then bearded Ted Cruz jumped into the mess.
I tell you what teddy boy, since mentioning jim jordan and wrestling is… problematic, why don’t we say fuck him and just make it you & me. I’ll give 50k to Black Lives Matter and you can keep all the tax payer money you were thinking of spending. https://t.co/6QDwCaEkpv
— Ron Perlman (@perlmutations) June 15, 2020
“Listen Hellboy,” Cruz wrote, referring to a film role last played by Perlman more than a decade ago. “You talk good game when you’ve got Hollywood makeup & stuntmen. But I’ll bet $10k — to the nonpolitical charity of your choice — that you couldn’t last 5 min in the wrestling ring w/ @Jim_Jordan w/o getting pinned. You up for it? Or does your publicist say too risky?”
Perlman responded in kind, referring to episodes during the 2016 Republican primary contest in which then-candidate Donald Trump insulted Cruz’s wife and alleged that Cruz’s father was with John F. Kennedy’s assassin shortly before he killed the president.
“Wait, is this THEE Ted Cruz?” Perlman wrote. “Is this the same guy let little Donnie call his wife A dog and his father an assassin and now kisses his ass?”
Perlman then suggested that instead of wrestling Jordan, he wrestle Cruz and offered to give $50,000 to Black Lives Matter if Cruz accepted.
Thin Ice
Perlman said the suggestion that he wrestle Jordan was “problematic.”
You know there's more than a slap fight going down when iron boy Ted Cruz chimes in speaking at and of better men than he.
My money's on Hellboy. pic.twitter.com/LCIxg65gdB
— CD Smith (@CDSmith63) June 15, 2020
This was an apparent reference to former wrestlers having accused Jordan of turning a blind eye to sexual abuse by a team doctor when he was an assistant coach at Ohio State University.
However, Jordan has repeatedly denied such claims.
Six former OSU wrestlers recently stated that they were present when Jordan heard or responded to sexual misconduct complaints about team doctor Richard Strauss.
Eight others say Strauss’ inappropriate behavior was an open secret in the athletic department and that Jordan, among others, must have known about it.
Not just any wrestling match, no holds barred hell in a cell match
— A new year, means more sacrifices #Valhalla awaits (@captameowica711) June 15, 2020
An independent report was commissioned by the university and it concluded last year that Strauss “sexually abused at least 177 male student-patients” between 1979 and 1998.
The doctor died by suicide in 2005.
A number of lawsuits have been filed against OSU over allegations related to Strauss. In March, OSU announced that it reached a monetary settlement with Strauss’ victims in 11 out of 18 pending cases.
In a tweet later Monday morning, Cruz made no mention of Perlman’s counter-offer.
How stupid are you to bring up Jim Jordan? I am from Ohio, you know what Jordan's nickname at Ohio State was? #PeepHoleJimmy. He used to sauna with all those boys. Jordan allowed those boys to be molested by the team doc. He cried and begged them to drop the lawsuits, they didnt. pic.twitter.com/qvZxHHXsm1
— Molly #JusticeInPolicing (@MadMolly10) June 15, 2020
“I get it, you’re rich. But, apparently, soft,” the senator wrote of Perlman. “You sure seem scared to wrestle Jordan (whom you keep insulting). Can’t take the heat? Need to get a manicure?”
Politics are like sports, highly competitive and based in strategic alignments. Between Cruz, Jordan and the political laymen in Perlman, the trio’s faux smoke has definitely brought the circus into the game.
