In the Department of Education’s new budget, Secretary Betsy DeVos proposes cutting federal funding for the Special Olympics.
In 2018, Big Show was named a Special Olympics Global Ambassador.
You can probably see where Secretary DeVos might have a problem.
TMZ Sports caught up with Ambassador Show, and asked him about the cuts DeVos is hoping to make. An obviously passionate Giant cut a heck of a promo on the woman he calls “Cruella de Vil”:
“I’m appalled to tell you the truth. That $18 million is the entire, I think that’s the entire allocated budget for Special Olympics. So she’s basically saying that we’re not give any government support to Special Olympics. She’s trying to cut after-school programs, you know, this is a lot deeper. Yes, I’m an ambassador for Special Olympics, but I’m also an ambassador for goodwill, too, and doing the right thing. You can’t cut programs like this, for - it literally makes zero sense. The message that she’s sending is that people with special needs, children with special needs, aren’t important enough to be part of society.
To me, she’s like Cruella de Vil. She’s gonna make a coat out of 101 dalmatians, so she’s gonna get 17 - 18 million dollars extra by cutting out funding where it’s desperately needed. You know, Special Olympics is so important. It does so many good things for communities, and it’s so important for the kids who are involved. There’s gonna be over a quarter-million kids who are gonna be directly affected by this budget cut. This makes no - zero sense. What did she say? ‘Oh, I’m gonna donate my $200,000 a year salary’? Whoopitty-doo! It doesn’t matter. You’re taking 17 - 18 million dollars away.
How about your after-school programs where now you have two parents that today - both parents have to work. So what happens to those kids? What happens to the lower income families that depend on these after-school programs to help their kids catch up if they’re behind? You know, there’s a lot of things that are so important. This is like the most ridiculous budget cut, one-sided bull$#!+ that could ever be done. And I don’t get on political topics, I’m not a political guy. I’m involved with Special Olympics and I’m very passionate about my work with Special Olympics. This to me is an asinine decision. You’re directly affecting America - even at its heart and soul. You can’t do this. I mean, find the money elsewhere. Stop. Go away, Cruella de Vil. Stop. Leave Special Olympics alone. Leave the after-school programs alone. Just stop. You know, you’re not doing the right thing.
To get these programs - it’s not about kids running and competing for medals. It’s not like that. Special Olympics, you know, these kids are seen by doctors, there’s so many things - education things, group programs, things that help improve their quality of life. Things that help them to get confidence and understand that they can do things on their own. You know? And to take away that opportunity... it’s just a horrible, callous, insensitive decision.”
It’s a heck of a promo, and I’m sure Special Olympics is prouder than ever to have the World’s Largest Athlete in their corner.
But we probably shouldn’t be too worried about the organization’s funding, or any conflicts between WWE, Big Show, and the McMahon family’s relationship with President Donald Trump (including but not limited to Linda McMahon serving in his Cabinet as the head of the Small Business Administration). Trump’s budgets have called for cuts to the Dept. of Education each of the last three years, but even with his own party controlling both chambers of Congress, the legislature increased education spending the last two years. The odds a Democratic House of Representatives would approve this proposed budget are slim-to-none.
Still, Special Olympics has to feel good knowing they’ve got Show as the Diesel to their HBK.