TNA is also using the PSA to launch their new Web site, eliminatethehate.com. The site features statements and links to anti-bullying resources. TNA is setting the bar very high on this issue…while other major sports leagues like the NBA and NFL stay virtually silent.

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While so many other campaigns preach to the converted, TNA’s effort can have a real impact. Much of their audience is straight young men addicted to the uber-macho culture that breeds so much bullying; Leveraging their stars’ voices and TV time can have an effect on the audience we truly need to reach. You can find more information about the campaign in TNA’s press release, plus see a message wrestler Jeff Hardy taped for CBS’ The Talk, after the jump.

November 1, 2010 (Nashville, Tenn.) – Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling wants to put a headlock on bullying, an epidemic that has gripped the U.S. for decades, but has recently gained national attention this fall with its link to a number of teen suicides.

TNA officials today announced TNA’s “Eliminate the Hate” campaign, aimed at ending bullying of all kinds.

TNA Wrestling is implementing a massive marketing effort for their “Eliminate the Hate” campaign. PSAs will be featured on TNA programming, including its Thursday night line-up on Spike (TNA iMPACT! and ReAction/ 9pm-12am ET). In addition, spots will be placed on all other TNA Wrestling platforms, including their website, DVDs and all social networking sites including Facebook® and Twitter®.

TNA is also working closely with the hit Sirius XM® primetime show, Derek & Romaine, as well as other Sirius XM® programs, and with broadcast partner Spike, who will air the PSAs across their network.

There are several TNA Wrestling superstars who know all too well about the childhood trials and tribulations of being bullied because they once were on the receiving end of unwanted, unprovoked, persistent taunts from bullies.

TNA’s Mr. Anderson, for instance, was bullied as a teen growing up in Two Rivers, Wis., and Fortune member Kazarian was well aware of bullying taunts as a youngster growing up in Southern California. “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero [right] was bullied while growing up in Jacksonville, Fla., but turned the tables in high school – and protected those who were being bullied.

“Sadly, bullying is a national problem, and it crosses into all races, religions and every socioeconomic status,” Anderson said. He added a personal note, “Growing up, I was bullied until I was a freshman in high school because I didn’t conform to a group or play sports. I was open that I liked video gaming and comic books and got picked on for that. I eventually took Tae Kwon Do and Eskrima lessons because the bullying was relentless and I thought it would come to a fight. But when the bullies heard I was taking martial arts classes, they backed off.”

“Everyone at TNA stands firmly behind this new anti-bullying campaign. The bullying must stop, and we want to take a stand,” said TNA Chief Marketing Officer Al Ovadia, himself a father of two. “There’s no place in our schools for bullying, be it based on a student’s looks, race, sexual orientation or anything else.”

TNA launched its “Eliminate The Hate” campaign this week in conjunction with Jeff Hardy’s appearance on The Talk (CBS-TV) when Hardy appeared in support of a bullied teen. Hardy, the reigning TNA World Heavyweight Champion, personally invited Tyler Wilson, 11, to Orlando, Fla., for a taping of “TNA iMPACT!” on Spike TV (Thursday, 9 p.m. ET), including a backstage meet-and-greet with other TNA Superstars.

“I’m happy to support Tyler and anyone who has been bullied, and I know I can say that all of the other wrestlers on the TNA roster agree with me on this stance: the bullying needs to stop, now,” Hardy said. “I guarantee Tyler will have an amazing time in Orlando and know he will be the envy of his class after his trip.”

One of the largest studies ever on bullying, the Ethics of American Youth Survey by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, finds 50 percent of those surveyed said they had “bullied, teased or taunted someone at least once,” and 47 percent had been “bullied, teased or taunted in a way that seriously upset me at least once.” The study, from the non-profit based in Los Angeles, surveyed 43,321 teens ages 15 to 18, from 78 public and 22 private schools.

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I originally heard that Flair asked the man to leave [a bar], but was told yesterday that Jordan’s friend left the bar because he was shaken up by what Flair told him. I’ll let you form your own conclusions as to why FlOair was so uncomfortable with the man. Perhaps there’s more to the story that I’m not aware of, but Flair was said to be fuming over the male companion having a role in the company and not belonging in the locker room.

I’ve heard through the grapevine that Flair is far from gay-friendly, so this isn’t a big surprise. Maybe the old man formerly known as the pink-boa-wearing “Nature Boy” does have some issue with gays. Or maybe he’s just pissed that somebody looks cuter than he does.

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Jordan was lowered from the ceiling wrapped in caution tape that said, “Cross the Line.” He then crawled and rolled around the ring like a cat on the prowl. He left the ring, walked over to a curtain and whipped off his sunglasses to reveal…he was wearing eyeshadow! The curtain raised to reveal a pretty woman and hot guy sitting on a couch with a picture connecting two male symbols and one female symbol. Jordan sat between the two and the camera cut away to a commentator who was nearly left speechless: “Well folks I don’t know what to make of that, but we’ll continue nonetheless.”

I have to wonder what that whole episode was supposed to accomplish. Am I supposed to be enchanted or intrigued with this character? Am I supposed to want to see more of this guy parading around in caution tape? Mission not accomplished.

It’s obvious the crowd was put off by the display. It sounded like you could hear a pin drop in the place: An awkward silence. I can’t even say it’s because it was a bisexual character, because you couldn’t tell that from what he was doing. It was just strange.

Check out the video below. Does it make you want to see more of bisexual Orlando Jordan?

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Wrestling fans everywhere are mourning the death of popular wrestler Umaga, who died of a heart attack over the weekend at the age of 36. I hope all those kids thinking about steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs read that over and over: Dead of a heart attack at 36. We don’t know if his heart attack was because of past steroid use, but we do know the premature death of other athletes and wrestlers have been due to the drug use. Kids, it’s just not worth the risk.

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TNA Superstar Angelina Love, one half of The Beautiful People tag team (with Velvet Sky), brought Shaun & Paul out as her special guests – her personal escorts, so to speak – to “The Spin Cycle.”

Love is one of three wrestlers on the newest edition of the popular show, along with fellow wrestlers BG James, Consequences Creed and Jimmy Rave. Love was the only one with two hand-picked, personal escorts. The blonde Knockout was walked to her chair by Shaun and Paul – and Paul even kissed Love’s hand.

The Spin Cycle averages more than 500,000 viewers at www.tnawrestling.com and is hosted by TNA’s Jeremy Borash. Thanks to shows such as “The Spin Cycle” and “TNA Today”, TNA’s YouTube channel is among the most viewed on the popular video website.

“I can’t say I was overly surprised Angelina had her own escorts, Shaun and Paul, walk her onto the show because she truly believes she’s just that big, popular and important, to put it mildly,” said TNA announcer Jeremy Borash, host of “The Spin Cycle.”

Shaun and Paul were, arguably, the most popular models on Season Three of the JDMA. They live in Orlando and sat in the front-row for a mid-August taping of TNA iMPACT! (Spike TV, 9 – 11 p.m. ET). Shaun is the bigger pro wrestling fan of the two, and was quick to recall wrestlers from his childhood.

“We had a great time at Impact and look forward to going to another TNA show,” Paul said. “When Angelina asked us to escort her onto the show, we were happy to oblige.”

Shaun and Paul are going to California in mid-November to get married in what will be, no doubt, one of the most high-profile, celebrity-filled gay weddings in the state. The two then will journey to Tahiti for their honeymoon. (Anderson said the exact date had not been finalized, though they were leaning toward Nov. 15.)

“We’ve been talking about this for a while,” Anderson said. “We’re going to take advantage to the fullest and go to California and legally get married. We want to get that stamp of approval from the U.S. Government, not just from our family and friends.”

Shaun & Paul have been dating for almost four years. They will be the grand marshals for Orlando’s Gay Pride Parade on Oct. 12.

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