WWE

Oft-troubled WWE star Jeff Hardy was kicked off an airplane flight earlier this week, but now the WWE says it won't be his third strike.

Hardy was pegged by Southwest Airlines officials Tuesday at the Nashville International Airport as too intoxicated to board the plane. We're told he found a different way out of town.

The once-fired and two-time suspended WWE star has had his share of drug problems and can't afford a third strike -- which would win him a pink slip.

But the whole thing Tuesday was precautionary -- there was no incident and the WWE will turn a blind eye. And there's this -- Hardy is starring in the next WWE pay-per-view event next month, and that will line the org's pockets nicely.

If you ask Lisa Leslie, Rick made the wrong decision.

When does being hit with racial slurs improve your career? For WWE wrestler Mark Henry, it may have happened last night on PPV.

In April, the WWE suspended writer Michael Hayes for 60 days for telling Henry, "I'm more n***** than you are." Last night -- and one week after Hayes was reinstated -- the twelve-year WWE vet and former Olympian finally got his big moment by winning the company's ECW world title.

That's where the controversy starts.

We're told Yang, whose real name is James Yun, was yanked from the ring in accordance with the organization's "Talent Wellness Program", which monitors substance abuse and health issues for wrestlers.

This is his first violation.

There's no doubt that using the n-word is stupid -- but allegedly using the n-word in front of a guy that's over six-feet-tall, weighs nearly 400 pounds and calls himself "The World's Strongest Man" is beyond idiotic. Enter WWE writer Michael Hayes.

TMZ has confirmed that Hayes, the head writer for WWE's "Smackdown," has been suspended for 60 days -- allegedly for using racist language in front of wrestler Mark Henry. Michael's haymaker was supposedly thrown while out drinking at a party during the weekend of Wrestlemania, where ProWrestling.net reports Hayes told Henry, "I'm more of a n----- than you are."

It's unknown whether or not Hayes was subsequently hit in the face with a metal chair.

City officials met with some WWE suits to figure out how to keep the wrestling poster from looking "too provocative." The outcome - the WWE slammed, er, airbrushed the nipples into oblivion. Billboard malfunction!

The whole thing was playing out just fine until Floyd broke Big Show's nose. That wasn't in the script!

Several musclebound behemoths from the wacky wrestling franchise are courting Spears to join them for combat -- some even enticing her by calling her "fat!" And since Brit has always called herself "country," perhaps a good ol' drag through the mud is just what she needs!

But not all the wrastlers want to fight Brit; WWE head Vince McMahon also authorized this article which suggests that he and the pop tart should hook up -- as in bedroom tag team partners?! Eek.

The WWE Superstars and a couple of Divas traveled to Iraq to entertain the troops, even setting up a wrestling ring for a match at Camp Speicher.

Vince McMahon, John Cena and Chris Jericho all made the trip -- sporting fatigues. The Divas, however, had a little trouble following the camouflage guidelines. You can see all the wacky punches on USA this Christmas Eve.

Quizzed by CNN about whether he has ever used steroids, pro wrestler John Cena quickly responded, "Absolutely not!" -- then offered nearly three minutes of follow up. But when CNN made its edit to their special, "Death Grip: Inside Pro Wrestling," Cena's response was replaced with: "People conceive things because performance enhancing drugs have got the spotlight. It's a hot thing to talk about. I can't tell you that I haven't, but you'll never be able to prove that I have."

Needless to say, the folks at World Wrestling Entertainment are pissed! They've posted the original, unedited video on their official website, along with the following response:

The letter, sent last week from WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, urges performers in need to get help and encourages wrestlers to support one another. "If you do not have a drug and/or alcohol problem, but know you know a former WWE performer who does, we are asking you try to help them by encouraging them to take advantage of this opportunity."

TMZ has uncovered the next possible drug scandal that could lay the smackdown on the wrestling world, known as "Soma Coma" -- the abuse of the powerful muscle relaxer.

In an exclusive interview, former WWE Diva Terri Runnels tells TMZ, "The boys eat Somas like candy." While the Chris Benoit tragedy has everyone (including the Feds) buzzing about steroids, Runnels says wrestlers have been getting high on Soma for years. "I've personally seen a WWE Superstar nearly die right in front of me after taking 13 Somas ... while still behind the wheel of his car!"

TMZ cameras were outside of Larry King's CNN studio in Hollywood last night, where our camera caught Blackman, as well as massive hunks John Cena and Chris Jericho, heading for an interview about Benoit.

Blackman was the only one who chirped up when our photog asked about Benoit's alleged steroid use, attempting to take pressure away from WWE by saying, "They're not the people to blame for this, any drug habits that started, started independently, long before they got to WWE." Blackman also said the media attention put on Benoit's possible steroid use -- toxicology reports are still pending -- are "blown out of proportion."