My Take on Pro Wrestling a.k.a. Leave Me Alone
When I started this online blog or journal or whatever, I told myself I wouldn't talk about wrestling too much. Why? Because 95% of people who are probably reading this aren't fans, have no opinion, or just plain don't like it.
I'm not saying you should. People's interests vary. However, since I was ten years old when I first started watching wrestling, whenever it was brought up that I watched it, I felt like I always had to defend it or justify it. Some people just won't let it go.
When someone mentions "I like the Sopranos," the majority of the time the reaction is "I like it," "I don't like it.," "I heard good/bad things about that," or "What's the Sopranos?" Then the conversation moves from there.
Either they talk about it or they don't, without the Sopranos fan needing to defend his reasoning for liking it either to save face or prove himself intelligent. Sure he can give his reasons and points out why he likes it, but it isn't socially coerced.When a person mentions "I like hockey, football, ballet, ice skating, etc.," the reaction is the same. Like it, don't, heard, or uninformed. The conversation either moves on to the next topic, continues, or has the fan explaining the rules to the interested uninitiated.
Probably someone might say "Football sucks," but neither of them is seen as lesser in terms of opinion.Now when wrestling is brought up in front of others, in my personal experience, the majority of the time there is negativity. I have yet to hear someone say to me "Huh...that's cool I guess," The question is always "Why?" Or, 90% of the time, "Why do you watch that crap?"
Whenever I've mentioned that I watch The Simpsons, not one person asked "Why?" When I've said that I watch hockey no one says "Why?" The reason? They didn't care why or just accepted the fact that it appealed to me.
People normally either found common ground or just moved on. There wasn't a bombardment of questions. I just like Simpsons and hockey. You do or don't or want to know more. That's it.
Why do you watch that crap?
I like the athletic exhibition, the cheesy comedy, and occasional drama.
Why do you watch it? Don't you know it's fake?
Don't you know that 24, The O.C., The Office, and all motion pictures without the word "documentary" in them are fake? I'm just following the trend.
Don't rednecks or people with low intelligence watch it?
Yeah, they do. So do the middle class and upper class and whoever it appeals to. Just like other television programs. Even hillbillies watched Frasier.
Don't you know the fights are fixed?
Yeah, so are the ones in Rocky I through V, The Matrix, and Jackie Chan flicks. So are the games in The Longest Yard, Bull Durham, Major League, and (believe it or not) Space Jam. Just because you know Batman will win in the end, it doesn't ruin the whole movie.
It's not a real sport.
I never said it was. It's not supposed to be. However, fans themselves can judge how good a match is much like judges for ballet, ice skating, and gymnastics. It's an exhibition of athleticism, not a contest.
The acting is terrible.
Yeah, it can be at times. Just like in a lot of soap operas and every Keanu Reeves movie ever.
How am I supposed to take this (character/storyline) seriously?
There is something called imagination along with suspense of disbelief. Like other programs, wrestling hits at times and misses in others. It's hard for me to believe that there is this guy who masters a mysterious, invisible energy that can give special powers so he can defeat a masked-helmet wearing man with a weird name . Yet I enjoyed watching Luke Skywalker beat Darth Vader anyway.
Those guys aren't real athletes. They don't experience pain like real athletes.
A few aren't in great condition, but 90% are in better condition than NFL offensive linemen at the very least. However, I know that the guys that are on television every week are getting slammed on canvas covered wood at least 4 days a week, traveling around the country (sometimes the world if there is an international tour) for over 45 weeks a year with no off season. I'm not comparing who has it tougher when it comes to other sports, but it's hard pressed to not call them athletes.
Those are my answers. That's it. I'm done. I'm tired of always answering questions about wrestling as if it were something other than a television show or a theatrical production. I'm sick of defending my reasoning for liking it other than mere taste. If you want to talk to me about it further, I'm all for it. Just don't treat it separately from any other television show. If people want to grill me to make me feel inferior for watching it, quit wasting my time. There's no reason for me to talk about it to someone who isn't open to understanding it in the first place.
I'm not saying you should. People's interests vary. However, since I was ten years old when I first started watching wrestling, whenever it was brought up that I watched it, I felt like I always had to defend it or justify it. Some people just won't let it go.
When someone mentions "I like the Sopranos," the majority of the time the reaction is "I like it," "I don't like it.," "I heard good/bad things about that," or "What's the Sopranos?" Then the conversation moves from there.
Either they talk about it or they don't, without the Sopranos fan needing to defend his reasoning for liking it either to save face or prove himself intelligent. Sure he can give his reasons and points out why he likes it, but it isn't socially coerced.When a person mentions "I like hockey, football, ballet, ice skating, etc.," the reaction is the same. Like it, don't, heard, or uninformed. The conversation either moves on to the next topic, continues, or has the fan explaining the rules to the interested uninitiated.
Probably someone might say "Football sucks," but neither of them is seen as lesser in terms of opinion.Now when wrestling is brought up in front of others, in my personal experience, the majority of the time there is negativity. I have yet to hear someone say to me "Huh...that's cool I guess," The question is always "Why?" Or, 90% of the time, "Why do you watch that crap?"
Whenever I've mentioned that I watch The Simpsons, not one person asked "Why?" When I've said that I watch hockey no one says "Why?" The reason? They didn't care why or just accepted the fact that it appealed to me.
People normally either found common ground or just moved on. There wasn't a bombardment of questions. I just like Simpsons and hockey. You do or don't or want to know more. That's it.
Why do you watch that crap?
I like the athletic exhibition, the cheesy comedy, and occasional drama.
Why do you watch it? Don't you know it's fake?
Don't you know that 24, The O.C., The Office, and all motion pictures without the word "documentary" in them are fake? I'm just following the trend.
Don't rednecks or people with low intelligence watch it?
Yeah, they do. So do the middle class and upper class and whoever it appeals to. Just like other television programs. Even hillbillies watched Frasier.
Don't you know the fights are fixed?
Yeah, so are the ones in Rocky I through V, The Matrix, and Jackie Chan flicks. So are the games in The Longest Yard, Bull Durham, Major League, and (believe it or not) Space Jam. Just because you know Batman will win in the end, it doesn't ruin the whole movie.
It's not a real sport.
I never said it was. It's not supposed to be. However, fans themselves can judge how good a match is much like judges for ballet, ice skating, and gymnastics. It's an exhibition of athleticism, not a contest.
The acting is terrible.
Yeah, it can be at times. Just like in a lot of soap operas and every Keanu Reeves movie ever.
How am I supposed to take this (character/storyline) seriously?
There is something called imagination along with suspense of disbelief. Like other programs, wrestling hits at times and misses in others. It's hard for me to believe that there is this guy who masters a mysterious, invisible energy that can give special powers so he can defeat a masked-helmet wearing man with a weird name . Yet I enjoyed watching Luke Skywalker beat Darth Vader anyway.
Those guys aren't real athletes. They don't experience pain like real athletes.
A few aren't in great condition, but 90% are in better condition than NFL offensive linemen at the very least. However, I know that the guys that are on television every week are getting slammed on canvas covered wood at least 4 days a week, traveling around the country (sometimes the world if there is an international tour) for over 45 weeks a year with no off season. I'm not comparing who has it tougher when it comes to other sports, but it's hard pressed to not call them athletes.
Those are my answers. That's it. I'm done. I'm tired of always answering questions about wrestling as if it were something other than a television show or a theatrical production. I'm sick of defending my reasoning for liking it other than mere taste. If you want to talk to me about it further, I'm all for it. Just don't treat it separately from any other television show. If people want to grill me to make me feel inferior for watching it, quit wasting my time. There's no reason for me to talk about it to someone who isn't open to understanding it in the first place.
posted by Erik Barnes @ 6:14 AM
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