Best Modern Heel Gimmick?

[Spidey Revivey]

http://www.npr.org/2017/06/30/53496...ings-greatest-villain-the-progressive-liberal

For me, there is no better villain than the one who feels justified in their actions. It's why "Straight Edge" CM Punk was so popular as a heel. He could spin something he believed and made it something obnoxious and hateful. That's kinda what this guy, Daniel Harnsberger, is doing. Like Goldust did with homophobia in the 90s, Daniel is bringing liberalism to crowds in the red states.

He was wrestling in a small town in West Virginia. As Harnsberger recalls, the promoter told him to "be the biggest heel you can be." That was easy for Harnsberger, who's always been a fan of wrestling heels — cartoonish bad guys whose job is to rile up the crowd.

So he took the microphone and brought some of Trump's campaign rhetoric into the ring: "I said, 'I hope Trump doesn't build a wall around Mexico. Instead I hope he builds it around this town so you people can't infiltrate the population.' And that got a heated reaction."

And his shtick kept getting that reaction. He honed it into a character named Dan Richards, The Progressive Liberal, that he kept playing throughout the election. When Trump won in November, crowds hated Dan Richards even more.

In character, Harnsberger tells crowds he'll take their guns. He says he wants to "reprogram" Trump supporters to make them favor renewable energy over coal.

Guy is making money just for flaunting his views at conservative crowds. Like a reverse Zeb Colter. People get heated over that shit. It has caused plenty of friends to stop talking to one another, and even families won't see each other because of politics. I think it's refreshing to see a wrestler use something modern to provide commentary.

Won't land him a gig in WWE, but I thought this was interesting.

 

[Bernkastel]

Clearly the greatest heel to hit Appalachia since New Jack.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

Not hard to get any of these folks mad though. 16.4 million Americans still think Chocolate Milk comes from brown cows. Hyuk! There's yer sign.

 

[sikkbones]

The miz, Pure miz, pure ego

 

[Wildcat66]

Checked out a match of his, he's pretty good in the ring and his character is pretty unique. Don't see how he wouldn't make it in WWE, he'd probably be a comedy JTTS but at least it would be something.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Brock Lesnar and it isn't even close.

 

[OYDK]

Kevin Owens but it's pretty close.

 

[Stone Cold Tea]

Big Show. Size 15e

 

[Snugglebites]

The only person that gets booed by casuals, regular and hardcore fans. Eva Marie.

 

[a0161613]

Brock Lesnar and it isn't even close.

The Absent Champion. MONEY!!!

 

[enviousdominous]

Blah, this guy.

His promos are lame and his wrestling is "okay". The news networks are losing their shit over him though, because he's obviously the only exposure they've had to pro-wrestling since the late 1990's.

I get that he's performing in front of crowds that aren't known for their ability to breath through their noses, but what really urks me is that white collar douche-bags on the news are lauding him as the next Iron Sheik.

I like you Spidey, you're awesome. I'm comfortable with your critique because you actually know things. Hearing a commentator on CNN or NPR gush about him while obviously knowing nothing about pro-wrestling makes me very uncomfortable.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Didn't say he was the best wrestler.

It got attention from fairly big news sources. I thought it was interesting enough to share.

 

[BaconBits]

Kinda crazy how this Hillary supporter gimmick is heel, but Brian Cage's Trump supporter gimmick is also heel.

 

[Stone Cold Tea]

Kinda crazy how this Hillary supporter gimmick is heel, but Brian Cage's Trump supporter gimmick is also heel.

Americans are the heels of the world.