Why Does It Have To Be Called Real?

[klunderbunker]

This is something I started thinking about tonight.

Kayfabe. We all know of it. We've all heard it. We've all had to deal with people that can't let it go that wrestling is fake and we all have to roll our eyes and say we know. The fact that almost every other show on TV and every other movie made is fake too is never brought up because there aren't oily men in it or something.

But that's not the point here. Here's what I want to know.

Why does wrestling have to be "real"?

Lost, Star Wars, I Love Lucy, Rocky, Wizard of Oz, Law and Order and I could go on and on. All of these are very popular movies and TV shows and they're all fake. How many times do you hear people talking about that when they're discussing stuff like this? Never. Of course it's fake but no one talks about that. They talk about how awesome these shows are, no matter how far fetched or over the top or insane they may be.

Now to get to the point. How many times have you heard some actor give an interview promoting their latest project? It could be on the red carpet, it could be on a talk show, on a website or whatever. They acknowledge that what they're in is fake, but once you're watching a show or are sitting in a theater, no one remembers that. I mean, we know it's fake but we watch it anyway and get invested into the show.

Why does wrestling have to insist that it's real? In short, why does kayfabe have to exist?

There have been thousands upon thousands of shows and movies and almost all acknowledge that they're fake. The few that attempt to look real (Blair Witch Project for example) are often laughed at for trying to seem realistic. What I want to ask is why do you all think wrestling has to keep up this facade of being completely real? I mean, we know the outcomes are predetermined, but so are the outcomes of popular movies and TV shows. It's not like it's a big secret that the castaways on Lost aren't on an island when the cameras go off or that the people laughing at Modern Family are looking at stuff being done on a set.

I'd like to get your thoughts on the following questions:

1. Why does wrestling have to insist it's real?

2. What would happen if they acknowledged they were fake and it was all a performance?

3. Would it affect you as a fan?

 

[#hamler]

1. Why does wrestling have to insist it's real?

Because in reality, watching a fake sport with made up names, made up spots and fake drama seems a bit stupid. I like how wrestling tries to stay real at all times. If they were to admit it's fake, everything would just look so dumb. You have a character like The Undertaker going around taking souls and rising from the dead, I think wrestling would lose it's edge if Mark Callaway went around promoting his character on Jimmy Kimmel Live or whatever.

I like the comparison you made between movies and pro-wrestling, but the major difference there is there are not many people who would think to call their favorite television character by their screen name when meeting them in person. If we saw Triple H walking down our streets, most fans would certainly call him Triple H rather then Paul Levesque. If we saw Tom Welling using the bathroom, we'd more then likely say "are you that guy from Smallville" rather then "hey Clark."

2. What would happen if they acknowledged they were fake and it was all a performance?

It's weird, I'd rather watch a scripted storyline wrestling match then watch two guys beat the shit out of each other in UFC but at the same time, I'd hate it if the WWE insisted they were fake. As a wrestling fan, I know it's fake but do I know who's in charge of writing and what they've prepared? Moves are predetermined but do I know what moves the wrestlers will do next? Wrestlers are told what to say but do I know if they are improvising? I look at wrestling and watch each punch and come here to post about it. I see through the fake to find the realism in the sport. It all comes down to believability. If wrestling constantly admited they were fake, it'd be a little hard to find the believable moments in wrestling which make me a fan.

3. Would it affect you as a fan?
If wrestling canstantly admitted to be fake, it would be a bit hard to find the believable moments in wrestling which make me a fan. It isn't about wins and loses, rather how the match is played out.

I haven't hurt my brain like that in a good while KB. Excellent thread homie.

 

[Slyfox696]

1. Why does wrestling have to insist it's real?

For the same reason movies and TV shows don't come out and say "hey, we're a bunch of actors playing characters". For the same reasons shows on Broadway don't stop in the middle of a performance and say, "Hey, don't be scared, we're not REALLY lions, we're just pretending to be". The whole point is for the audience to watch and lose themselves in the performance, to becoming emotionally invested in the actors.

2. What would happen if they acknowledged they were fake and it was all a performance?

Well, they have off the screen. Hell, with the "Don't try this at home" segment they put on DVDs, they've basically acknowledged it.

3. Would it affect you as a fan?

Not really.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

Lost, Star Wars, I Love Lucy, Rocky, Wizard of Oz, Law and Order and I could go on and on. All of these are very popular movies and TV shows and they're all fake. How many times do you hear people talking about that when they're discussing stuff like this? Never. Of course it's fake but no one talks about that. They talk about how awesome these shows are, no matter how far fetched or over the top or insane they may be.

I think that the word wrestling has something to do with it. The word automatically conjuress up the image of it being a legit contest. So people are really less inclined to accept it as being fake. History also has a part to play in this. Wrestling, from the days it was a carnival sport never claimed to be fake because that would have killed the excitement to see their local hero triumph over the other guy. Remember, pro wrestling in the earlier days was all about action and no talk.

Also there is the question of choice. When you look at a movie or at a TV show or at a play for the first time, you understand that this stuff cannot be real by any means. When you look at pro wrestling, you think that it can be real because there is an athletic contest that seems to be driving it all and also everything is happening in real time as compared to crossing over a large number of years in a single movie or TV show. Given a choice, a person will generally believe that something is real as compared to fake unless there is some knowledge beforehand regarding the issue. A preconcieved notion is always hard to change and the fact that wrestling is real is a pre concieved notion. Also why try to change a preconcieved notion that works?

The final thing is the way a wrestling show is stuctured. Movies have action sure and in most cases you know who is going to win, but that action lasts what, 15 or 20 minutes on an average and at the most an hour. It's still a lot less amount of time as compared to how much in ring action there is in pro wrestling. It takes up about 80% of the show and that 80% is rendered meaningless if somene told you that the results are pre determined. That way people would only tune in for the promos and the ending of the matches.

 

[One to Remember]

I think the situation is a little morecomplex then in some of the tinsel town examples provided above. I think in sports in general fans seek respect and understanding from other sports fans. Soccer fans dont like football fans talking down to them, tennis fans dont want redicule from hockey fans,and softball fans dont want to be called soft by baseball fans.

Wrestling cant call itself real because the jig is up and claims of realism would ironically shed the light on how fictional it is. It cant call itself fake becauze that would destroy its few remaining shreds of credibility in the sporting world aka the espn universe.. in sports out come is determined by athleticism, wrestling lacks that but as shown to anyone who watched the history of the world title dvd at the turn of the previous century WRESTLERS WERE LEGITIMATE ATHLETES

 

[harrythem]

1. Why does wrestling have to insist it's real?
I think it's part of the fabric of the industry. Dating back to the carny days there was the "protect the business" aspect that's been handed down from one generation of wrestler to another.

2. What would happen if they acknowledged they were fake and it was all a performance?
It kinda did happen during the Attitude Era. While wrestling was acting like it was real during the programmes and PPV's, pretty much every wrestler admitted it was "fake" in one interview or another. It resulted in a boom in the industry, and, for me at least, felt like I was more part of things. That I was privvy to the secrets of the business I love...On the other side of that coin it's created far too many people who know far too much (or think they do) and like nothing more then dumping on wrestling, but it was a watershed moment...I think it also helped WWE become more accepted in the main-stream as well, mainly because the media, etc probably felt like they weren't having their intelligence insulted by "those wrestling folks" anymore.

3. Would it affect you as a fan?

Not in the slightest. As I said, made me feel even more involved in the "wrestling club".

 

[Mick Overlast]

Good thread -- a buddy of mine ripped on me for still watching, and after I brought up various TV shows that he watches, he shut up.

1. Why does wrestling have to insist it's real?

I think it has to insist it's real because it's classified as a sport, despite it being labeled under "sports entertainment." But does wrestling really go out of its way to say it's real?

2. What would happen if they acknowledged they were fake and it was all a performance?

I think people realize it's fake to begin with, besides the delusional fanboys and little kids. I don't think it'd affect much, if anything.

3. Would it affect you as a fan?

Not at all. I'd still watch for the entertainment aspects, storylines, etc.

 

[Foshinzo]

Great, great thread.
1) I think it's insisted that it's real because the whole thing is just so silly without the illusion. Everyone who is a wrestling fan not only accepts the illusion, but cherishes it. The people who insult us as wrestling fans for being simpletons or children clearly are the kinds of people who can't appreciate the spectacle, unlike us.

2) It would mostly drive people away, I think. Wrestling is the kind of entertainment where you can shut your brain off for a few hours and just watch 'roid'ed up lunatics bash each others' heads in with no serious repercussions. Everyone is okay, and we all go home happy. If you blatantly state this, then it just flat-out spoils the fun. Nobody wants these people to be real. I don't want CM Punk to be Phil Brooks, I want him to be CM Punk, a character on a TV show. Phil Brooks is so much more boring than CM Punk is, and I think that's why the illusion and kayfabe is essential.

3) I think that yes, it clearly would affect me as a fan. As a kid, I loved Roddy Piper because he kicked Cyndi Lauper and was just generally such an asshole. I didn't actually know anybody that was that much of a jerk. The same goes for Randy Savage, who was so out of his mind that you just had to love it. If you tell me that these people aren't really like that, I'm suddenly going to see them as real people and that's boring. We need these people to play characters, because if I wanted to see real people compete in a combat sport, I would just stick to UFC events. I admit that I loved the Ultimate Warrior, I loved the Honky Tonk Man, and I miss the Undertaker, because these are performers that get insulted for having stupid gimmicks, but that's the point. I don't want realistic people, I want characters on a TV show that I can learn to love for their antics. In the end, Raw is just another TV show, and we need to welcome back the characters that made it wild, because as a TV show, that's what made it unique.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Wrestling has to insist that it's "real" due to them wanting the illusion that it IS. Even though pro wrestling federations such as WWE, TNA, ROH, etc, are all scripted there is still the origin of wrestling the sport. People want pro wrestling to be "real" because it's a fake version of something that was real to begin with. If they acknowledged that it was fake at a performance I would probably react to it with "so what? I've known that for ages." and wait for the next match to begin. Who cares? All of the stuff that makes it a show is what made it successful. Sure the origin lies with something that was real, but despite the predetermined results you are guaranteed a show with pro wrestling whereas a "real" fight could end in 10 seconds. There goes all of your PPV money. I personally would rather pay for a great show than a 10 second fight. Acknowledgement of kayfabe onscreen would have no effect on me as a fan. None. I might laugh a bit that they broke the fourth wall or something, but it would really not do much to affect me as a fan.

 

[Good Golly It's Ollie]

For the same reason movies and TV shows don't come out and say "hey, we're a bunch of actors playing characters". For the same reasons shows on Broadway don't stop in the middle of a performance and say, "Hey, don't be scared, we're not REALLY lions, we're just pretending to be". The whole point is for the audience to watch and lose themselves in the performance, to becoming emotionally invested in the actors.

This is pretty much what I tell people when they say that time-tested cliche, "Hey, you, uh ... you know it's fake ... right?" I reply with: "Hey, you know it's not sport, but theatre, right?" That always makes 'em think twice.

Anyway, wrestling is not Brechtian, but is actually becoming moreso. Just a bit. You've got everybody lampshading the nature of the business now, for lulz. Dolph Ziggler saying he is "THE #HEEL". The whole CM Punk vs. Triple H thing. So while I think it's all about blurring fantasy and reality, now more than ever, it's becoming cool to "Get Meta" on your own performance work. Fourth walls are left in pieces. And this trend, inevitably, spreads everywhere - including wrestling.

But good question KB, and one that should be asked time and time again, because nothing stays the same forever.

 

[CleverName51]

1. Why does wrestling have to insist it's real?

Tradition, hollywood evolved from the stage, movies replaced plays...everyone knew that Actor X would do a different play the next month...and now, it's a different movie next year

Pro wrestling was a carnival side show...it replaced jousting from the middle ages...which to an extent was also staged


2. What would happen if they acknowledged they were fake and it was all a performance?

At this point, put you KB out of job, I kid...somewhat. If wrestling was fake, dirt sheet sites would to an extent no longer exist. Spoilers would be pointless because it's all open

Conversely THIS situation could happen:

Alberto Del Rio and John Cena could go on talk shows like they do now, but instead of staying in character and talking about themselves...you could see ADR and Mr. Cena have a friendly back and forth with each other talking about personal goals. And yes, heels can work at this, when movies are promoted even the main villain will do promo work.

Cena could talk about his character's motivations much like say...how Hugh Laurie explains some of Greg House's motivations from an outsider's perspective.



3. Would it affect you as a fan?

Not one bit. I already read dirt sheets and analyze the product by posting on this forum. This would just (ideally) make the dirt sheets into legitimate commentary pieces rather than tabloids. Hopefully.