Pascrell, Bacon Seek Answers About Violent New Power Slap Show

Bipartisan co-chairs of Congressional Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force request response from Warner Bros. Discovery

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) today are seeking answers about a new program on TBS that seems to put contestants at an extremely high risk of brain injury. In a letter to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Reps. Pascrell and Bacon urge the cable network to reconsider airing the program and demand information on steps taken to warn viewers about the dangers of the show’s violence and on brain injury prevention.

“As the co-leaders of the Congressional Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force and authors of the Traumatic Brain Injury Act, we write to you with grave concerns about your new show, The Power Slap: The Road to the Title. This crass program glorifies dangerous and aggressive behavior at the expense of its participants’ long-term health,” the Members write.

“The Power Slap seems to be geared toward a younger audience. Its dangerous content is not sheltered behind a paywall, nor are any attempts made to protect the most vulnerable viewers. Instead, the program debuted during a popular time slot, exposing families and children to unnecessary violence. And the Power Slap’s social media accounts are replete with sleekly produced clips designed to attract young viewers and encourage them to share the show widely, possibly unaware of the dangers. The videos glorify those who can withstand the worst blows to the head without collapsing. We watched footage of a man struck in the face crumple to the ground displaying unmistakable ‘fencing posture,’ a telltale sign of brain trauma, yet at no point was this communicated to viewers; the violence was posted solely to titillate.”

For two decades, Rep. Pascrell has been a leader in advancing brain injury policy on Capitol Hill. Pascrell co-founded the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force in 2001 and has served as co-chair since its inception. The Brain Injury Task Force works to increase awareness of brain injury in the United States, supports research initiatives for rehabilitation and potential cures, and strives to address the effects these injuries have on all Americans, including children, members of the Armed Forces, and athletes.

The full text of the members’ letter is available below.

February 14, 2023

Mr. David Zaslav, CEO

Warner Bros. Discovery

230 Park Ave S.

New York, NY 10003

Dear Mr. Zaslav:

As the Co-Founders and Co-Leaders of the Congressional Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force and authors of the Traumatic Brain Injury Act, we write to you with grave concerns about your new show, The Power Slap: The Road to the Title. This crass program glorifies dangerous and aggressive behavior at the expense of its participants’ long-term health.

From what we can tell, The Power Slap capitalizes on violent behavior and lurid drama masquerading as athletic prowess for profit. Participants are subject to sudden and powerful blows to the head and face causing “rotational acceleration,” a primary cause of concussion and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). In recent years a large body of evidence has established CTE as a direct cause of memory decline, impaired cognition, depression, impulsive behavior, suicidal ideations, parkinsonism, and dementia.^[1]

These disastrous health effects are often correlated with contact sports like boxing and football.^[2] Yet, the governing bodies of these sports have made strides in recent years to preserve the history and tradition of physical activity while seeking to understand the causes of CTE and implement appropriate safety precautions. The Power Slap makes no similar good faith effort to do the same, while exposing participants to brain trauma without protective measures. In fact, participants are penalized for any movement or attempt to mitigate a blow. This deadly combination of force, rotation and lack of defensive gear or posture is inexcusable and possibly fatal.

In exchange for endangering their mental and physical health, participants are offered a paltry $2,000 and optional cursory screening from the Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Power Slap participants may not demonstrate immediate injury, but the unnecessary damage caused to their brain will have long lasting and disastrous consequences. Endeavor Productions, TBS, and UFC appear to have created and profited off a deadly television show, with significant reach and impact, without implementing basic and commonsense safety protocols.

The Power Slap seems to be geared toward a younger audience. Its dangerous content is not sheltered behind a paywall, nor are any attempts made to protect the most vulnerable viewers. Instead, the program debuted during a popular time slot, exposing families and children to unnecessary violence. And the Power Slap’s social media accounts are replete with sleekly produced clips designed to attract young viewers and encourage them to share the show widely, possibly unaware of the dangers. The videos glorify those who can withstand the worst blows to the head without collapsing. We watched footage of a man struck in the face crumple to the ground displaying unmistakable “fencing posture,” a telltale sign of brain trauma, yet at no point was this communicated to viewers; the violence was posted solely to titillate.

Martial arts and combat sports have a long and storied tradition. Students are entrusted with sacred rituals and techniques that reflect the beauty and mystery of cultures and families through generations. “Slap fighting,” as displayed in The Power Slap, has no such cultural ties, and sacrifices the health of participants for cheap fame and profit.

We strongly suggest that you reconsider broadcasting this problematic programming and request your prompt reply to the questions below.

1. Does your program run a disclaimer at the beginning and end of each episode of The Power Slap detailing the impacts of concussions, repeated head trauma, and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy?
2. Do participants have access to a comprehensive, long-term, and free brain monitoring programs, including a designated fund to cover related health care costs? This should include baseline testing to include vision, hearing, an overall health assessment and a magnetic resonance imaging scan. If so, are they compensated for these expenses? If not, please explain.
3. Please detail how the show informs all participants, in writing, about the dangers of concussions and repetitive brain injury including how their participation in The Power Slap events exposes them to possible long-term effects that may not be evident for many years.

There are measures that would constitute a bare minimum to protect Americans. There must be limits. The health of Americans matters more than corporate profit.

Sincerely,

[1] Stern, R. A., Riley, D. O., Daneshvar, D. H., Nowinski, C. J., Cantu, R. C., & McKee, A. C. (2011). Long-term Consequences of Repetitive Brain Trauma: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. PM&Amp;R, 3, S460–S467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmrj.2011.08.008

[2] Cunniff, M. (2016, April 14). The Reality of Brain Trauma in Sports. UCSF Synapse. https://synapse.ucsf.edu/articles/2016/04/14/reality-brain-trauma-sports