Who says "funny" characters have to be comedy jobbers?

[The Doctor]

I'm not talking about Santino!

Tonight, I had an interesting conversation (if you could call it that) with Stinger about one NXT Rookie Percy Watson. Stinger said that Percy Watson is never going to be anything more than a comedy jobber. As a Watson fan, I took offense to that, and it really got me thinking: Why do funny or entertaining characters like Percy Watson automatically get lumped in the "comedy jobber" role, especially if it's shown they can go in the ring?

I don't see why someone who is funny on the mic has to be a comedy jobber. Watson is athletic and it's shown that he takes himself seriously during matches. It's not like he's doing a Santino role and being stupid every match and can barely wrestle.

He was the first example that came to mind, but there are others. The IWC loves to say that a wrestler needs to become more "serious" in his personality if he wants to go anywhere - even if it means losing the personality that got them over in the first place. I don't get why the IWC automatically assumes that comedy = jobber.

Somebody, please enlighten me.

 

[shattered dreams]

I agree although this is likely as much of problem with people exaggerating the meaning of jobber as it is other issues. It does depend on the type of humor though. I mean the rock and especially foley used quite a bit of humor and it did not make them jobbers. The guys that are total doofuseseses do have to lose more than they win. The whole point is you are not supposd to take them seriously so they can only get so far. I do think guys that can entertain the crowd with humor should not stop making people laugh just to get up the card. It is hard to take away guy's strength and simultaneously expect them to entertain at a higher level. If they lack other skills anyway then they were always going to be a midcarder anyway. Just let them be funny and win and lose some (why people think this is jobbing I do not know). If they have other strengths then combine them all and let them make us laugh in the right ways while pushing them up the card.

 

[The Holy One]

I think the funny man can suceed but when it comes down to it imo when he's in serious fueds (and you can attest to this Doc from SCW) guys like Percy Watson need to show they have a mean streak and won't be happy-go-lucky all the time. I mean put Percy in HHH's position during his fued with Orton last year. I wouldn't think Percy would be his overcharismatic self after Orton took out his wife in front of him then sealed it with a kiss. It's like shattered dreams said. Wrestlers like the Rock and Mankind (more Mankind than the Rock) are similar to Percy in being the funny entertainer but when it came down to business they were as serious as anybody should be. I will admit Percy may have took Cena's words very seriously b/c he seems to be more agressive in the ring compared to a month ago. It's not that Percy can't suceed as a comedy man but he also needs to add depth to his persona otherwise he will just be a one dimensional character.

 

[The Doctor]

I think the funny man can suceed but when it comes down to it imo when he's in serious fueds (and you can attest to this Doc from SCW) guys like Percy Watson need to show they have a mean streak and won't be happy-go-lucky all the time.

The thing is, I completely agree. Characters like Watson need to show that when they're in the ring, they're all business, which he has been doing. That's why I don't get why the IWC says that anyone who is entertaining and over-the-top like that on the mic has to be a comedy jobber, especially if it's shown that person CAN wrestle and IS all business in the ring.

I'm totally fine with wrestlers being serious when the situation calls for it, but to say that they need to completely tone themselves down and be serious all the time is just ludicrous. Yet it's what many people in the IWC think. They say they won't be able to take wrestlers like Watson "seriously" and so he'll never make it past the comedy jobber stage. And I just don't understand why that is so.

 

[The Holy One]

The thing is, I completely agree. Characters like Watson need to show that when they're in the ring, they're all business, which he has been doing. That's why I don't get why the IWC says that anyone who is entertaining and over-the-top like that on the mic has to be a comedy jobber, especially if it's shown that person CAN wrestle and IS all business in the ring.

I think they're use to guys like Santino, Eugene, and Eric Young who set the bar for comedic jobbers. That when they see a wrestler who has a similar personality to them that they can't take him seriously at all. In the beginning, Percy use to wrestle like Santino (saying OH YEAH! all the time and dancing during the match) but he has tone down the funny in the past few weeks. So I do believe Percy deserves a chance but until people get over the Santino Syndrome; I can't see that happening.

 

[Hawkeye]

Al Snow was hilarious with Steve Blackman duri--wait, bad example.
The Rock was a gold mine for comedic segments and he was top dog during his time. Eddie was another hilarious mainstay in the ME scene as well.It's just that the term jobber has blown up into something it shouldn't have been in the first place. It supposed to be a term reserved for local competitors who get paid to get squashed. Santino is not a jobber because Santino wins matches. Losing streaks don't make you a jobber,nor do lack of title reigns. They make you a undercarder or enhancement talent.

About Percy Watson, I'm gonna be honest and say that I don't see him becoming WWE Champion or WHC because it doesn't seem like that's what he's there for. He's there to put on entertaining matches for the fans and have a good time,so I see him in the role of R-Truth, for lack of a better word,a hype man. You can always count on him to wake up the crowd with an exciting performance no matter what and that's always good to have. Because if everyone was serious and intense for the entire two hours,then I'd have to find something else to watch.

In closing,I don't remember HBK being serious about anything besides ending the Undertaker's streak and he was all over the card in his career.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I don't necessarily think that "funny" characters have to be relegated to the Job Squad, but that's where most of them ultimately wind up and probably with good reason in most cases.

I don't know if some would agree with me or not, but I always thought of the Honky Tonk Man as a comedic character. The guy's gimmick was as an Elvis impersonator, so I don't believe anyone could really take him seriously. I was never into the guy very much, but I think he was unique in the sense that the WWF managed to balance out the not so serious aspects of the character with significant and serious feuds against some of the top names in the company at the time. Sure, HTM was goofy picking the guitar and doing the Elvis moves with Jimmy Hart running around like a chipmunk on PCP, but it was difficult not to look at him in something of a different light feuding with someone like Jake The Snake Roberts, beating Ricky Steamboat for the IC title or feuding with Randy Savage. He did have some shit feuds as well with guys like George The Animal Steele & Brutus Beefcake. I was never all that wild about HTM in the ring, but he was able to have roughly 2 very solid years in the WWF. I guess, to be fair, they were more than solid because lots of people still talk about him and a 64 week run as IC champ is still the longest in history.

Percy Watson is someone that I acutally take a bit more serious than the likes of HTM, or especially Santino. Watson is a really good athlete and he's pretty decent in the ring, much more so than HTM in my opinion. Watson comes off as really energetic and it makes some see him in a different light. Not everyone of course, but I don't look at him in the same way I'd look at Santino or Hornswoggle.

I don't know if a comedic character can really make a go of it in the long run. As I said, the HTM had about 2 good years in the WWF and after he lost the IC title, he just...well I dunno.

 

[mrbrownstone]

I was just about to make this thread, looks like you beat me to it.

Anyway funny people can be taken seriously as main event talent (The Rock, Y2J, DX and E&C are all good examples of that) as long as they also have a serious side aswell which we saw Percy Watson does have last week with his little pre match promo on Alex Riley. As long as he is good in the ring and has a serious side, both of which Percy has then I see no reason he couldnt be a main eventer one day.

 

[donfryeismyhero]

Are people forgetting about King Kurt? Kurt Angle that is. When he debuted, he was a comdedy act that was taken serious. From milk-a-mania to going to public places like malls to take about being a 32 yr old vigin to his teaming with edge & christain. There are many more examples of his hilariousness but Kurt could also be taken very seriously when duty calls. His beefs with Lesnar, Austin, Beniot, Michaels & Joe are legendary for the intense emotion that kurt brought.

 

[Blue Chipper]

When you talk about your Doink the clown's, Goldust's (to an extent) Santino's, Charlie Haas' (circa 08), you can see where the term "comedy jobber" spawns from. However, while I think there have been many unsuccessful comedy characters, there have been some good and successful wrestlers that had a comedy moniker. They are not related, as anyone can get over with the audience.

Long-term, I think it benefits the wrestler if they show other sides as well and not just a monotonous comedy side. It's not necessary, but if they show more colors, they will be more versatile, and thus, more interesting.

You shouldn't immediately group a comedy character in the "comedy jobber" array, as they have a chance to get over and be successful. Conversely, In some instances, the term is fitting; Santino is a pure comedy guy, and he loses a lot. I think it's a fair assumption that Santino is a comedy jobber.

Percy Watson is a comedy-type character, but he's not a jobber (yet, anyway). He has the potential to succeed. In feuds, if it works for him to be comedic, so be it, but if it's not working, I would hope they give him more complexity.

 

[Ferbian]

They don't Doc. They really don't. I'm sure we could say there's some funny talents that has been at the top of the card. Shawn Michaels and Triple H have both been at the top of the card, and I find them both to be damn hilarious when they were doing D-Generation X antics. John Cena can be entertaining as well, Edge and Christian. I could continue this list for, about 5 minutes I think. And they would all be people who had great careers, who has quite a legacy, and none of them have ever comedy jobbed.

William Regal and Kozlov really aren't funny, William is at times though, but he hasn't been as of late. They're comedy jobbers, so they eliminate a bit of the situation.

However some just aren't cut to ever be taken seriously. I could never, and probably never will take Santino seriously. Is it because he was fucked up from the start? Most likely, but in the end, I just wouldn't take him seriously no matter what I think.

Comedians aren't always gonna be jobbers just because of the IWC. Because of the list I mentioned earlier, hell some of the people from the past in WWE (Kurt Angle, Stone Cold, The Rock and Booker T), should they be considered comedy jobbers? Absolutely not, they had hilarious moments, and were damn successful as well.