WWE Going More "Meta" - I Like It

[Ellye]

Recently, WWE has been getting a bit more meta. While they don't fully acknowledge that the show is scripted and all that, they go a few small steps in that direction by using terms such as "heel".

Now, we have some new T-Shirts, as announced on the mainsite:
http://www.wweshop.com/category/Men/TShirts-Kayfabe

Notice that the category is called "Kayfabe", and the T-Shirts have terms such as "Jobber", "I Got Heat", etc.

I believe many of the fellow forum-goers here will dislike this, but I for one really like it.

This little bit of acknowledgement actually increases my suspension of disbelief when I watch the show. It's an old technique: the hardest lies to perceive are the ones intertwined with truth.

When you have wrestlers going around using "#Heel", for example, on their ringwear, it makes the show look more real for me. It makes the Dolph Ziggler character look more like a real person.

And what about you? How do you feel about WWE slightly acknowledging wrestling jargons and terms in their website? At social media? And at the shows themselves?

 

[H33LTurn]

Its been said before that one of the worst things Vince did was reveal the secrets of wrestling. I think that while its great that they've finally acknowledged that wrestling is scripted, making shirts with "insider" wrestling terminology is a bit much. This business model of breaking the 4th wall isnt represented by any other show in the world. No other scripted show lets on to the fans that its scripted quite like WWE does. I dont understand the purpose for doing so. In the end nothing is gained except a horrible detour from what WWE should and has always been about. When you keep the rivalry relating to what happens on the show, everyone will understand whats going on and its more consistent with whats being going on in the past. But pushing the product in this direction is really excluding a majority of the fans who are children or TV fans for a minority who already know how the business works.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

I think thats a pretty bad idea. This was the main-reason why majority of people hated Vince Russo during his WCW-2000 run. He was mentioning scripts on screen,etc. Its ok for people who already know wrestling is scripted but its not good for fans who still think wrestling is real and not scripted. Its like telling people that what you are watching is "fake". Many people want to think wrestling is real even though they know its scripted.

Not a good move by the WWE. The CM Punk's worked "shoot" promo wasn't a good move either. Many people think it was but it actually was bad for WWE.

 

[Headman]

I'm shocked Vince hasn't trademarked the term kayfabe. Seems like something he would have done. I think I may do it if I remember this 5 minutes from now. As for whether I think it's good or bad for WWE to use these terms in the open. I'd rather they didn't do it during the show because that would be like Micheal Weston saying "We've gotta find the bomb because there's only 2 minutes left in this Burn Notice episode and this story isn't worth a two parter Sam!". But on the website is fine.

 

[Champ1432]

It's definitely a very fine line. In the past few years, there definitely have been more references to the "backstage" or "insider" terms and workings of the business. Most recently, we had Punk's promo, Ziggler's "#Heel", and now these shirts. So it does seem as if WWE keeps inching a little further down that road each time.

So far, I don't think they've gone too far. The shirts are pretty humorous to me, and nothing else that has happened has pushed the envelope to a point where it's too much, IMO. But as I said, it's a very fine line. They need to be careful that they don't go too far with it. While most fans will appreciate a little inside look or reference every now and then, or that little wink at the camera we get sometimes, I think most people will be turned off if it went too far. Someone above mentioned Russo talking about that scripts on camera. That type of thing is taking it too far, IMO. I think people want that hint of insider experience, but don't want it completely thrown in their faces that everything is fake. They still want to be able to suspend their disbelief a little. But glimpses of the inside have given us some of the most popular moments in wrestling in recent history. Punk's promo is a very recent example, the Kliq's moment in the ring from years ago is a more distant example. So if done right and not too often, the moments can be quite memorable.

WWE just has to make sure they don't go TOO far and go overboard, thus pushing people away.

Just to add, I know the Kliq incident was obviously not planned for or even condoned by McMahon as the other things mentioned, just using it as an example.

 

[midgensa]

I personally don't like it.

While 95% of the audience knows it is a show (probably even higher than that honestly) ... I think that constantly acknowledging it takes away from the show.

I know what heat is. I know what a heel is. I know what a babyface is. Fantastic. I don't need shirts proclaiming it.

There are plenty of smarks in every crowd trying to act like they are "better" fans than those that are much more casual wrestling enthusiasts.

It was obvious with the CM Punk promo that they were going to start going in a different and more "real" direction. But, all but flat out stating "everything is scripted" is going a little too far IMO.

 

[PlayTheGameHHH]

Great idea. It makes me think of them more as a wrestling company, the shirts are clearly for the internet fans. I'm buying one!

Whether or not Vince is actually pleased about the shirts is another matter...I wouldn't be surprised if he had them pulled them to be honest.

 

[wrestling fan 666]

Personally, not a fan of this. I was against Vince revealing the business in the first place; now it's a joke. Growing up watching "old school" wrestling, we knew it wasn't real, but we enjoyed the thought of it "might be" real. To us, it was a male soap opera. Yes, it's a different generation now; yes people are more intuitive; yes people are not fools; but for the youngsters, let them believe in the show. Why have shirts acknowledging the wrestling terms that they shouldn't know? If you want people in the seats, stop publicizing that it's all a show and let them believe the story lines.

 

[neildittmar]

I think the new shirts are a semi-creative attempt by WWE's marketing department. Notice that the shirts simply have a word or phrase on them and nothing else. No reference to a particular Superstar or WWE in general really. "Smarks" will buy them because of the insider references, yet I don't think that's who they're really for.

Folks who aren't wrestling fans have no idea what these terms refer to. Realizing that WWE is fully in the "Internet Era", perhaps the hope is to draw attention to the product when "normal" people see these shirts and subsequently Google what the terms mean.

 

[Paralyzer Z]

I think this does no harm whatsoever. Realistically speaking WWE is never going to full-on admit that they are providers of a scripted and "fake" product. This is a rather small gesture that is just to draw some money out of the pockets of those who know these terms. I'm sure the general causal fans won't even take a look at these shirts or try to figure out what they mean, if by chance they do I'm pretty sure that not all of the millions of WWE fans are going to go out of their way to find out.

This is just like the the "Cena Sucks" T-shirts, the ones the are catering to will purchase them, the other majority will go on as they were.

 

[Grishnak]

I think with WWE being open about using insider terms, releasing shirts like this and acknowledging that it's not a real sport and what they do is "fake" in a way, it's a way for them to show the critics that they are not trying to hide anything and be open about what they do. The critics say it's fake and scripted and it's garbage because of that, instead of WWE keeping with the old school mentality saying, "No way, we are a real sport, what we do is real competition and how dare you say we are fake.." But instead they are openly saying what they do is scripted and fake in a way, but the injuries are still real.. In my opinion, it would be dumb in this day and age for WWE to continue to act like they are a legit sport/competition and everything about it is real, because it's not, so why embrace that instead of being open and honest about the business?

Anyway, I love this idea about these shirts. I'm all for rooting for the bad guys in movies and in wrestling, so I would love the Heel shirt and Jobber shirt. Remember Al Snow and the J.O.B Squad. Snow even wore a shirt that said.." J.O.B Squad. Pin Me, Pay Me!" So this kind of thing isn't new, because if I remember right, WWE released the JOB Squad shirt to the fans.

 

[mlp420]

I hate it. Absolutely hate it. If anything, they should be going in the opposite direction. Take the feuds and story lines to the internet, work the IWC to death blending kayfabe and reality to keep people wondering what's real and what isn't. Eventually we'll all give up trying to sort it all out and kayfabe is restored. That's all they have to do. Quit this "Breaking the 4th Wall" BS. It's totally unnecessary.

 

[paulc101]

Let me get this straight, some of you think there are people out there who still believe wrestling is real? Besides kids I would say there aren't. Even if they acknowledge that it's scripted/fake it's not going to stop the kids cheering Cena, they still aren't sick of him.

When you tell another adult, even a teenager that you like wrestling the first thing they say is "don't you know it's fake?".

 

[Headman]

Honestly if there is a t-shirt that stops people from walking up to me to say "You know it's fake, right?" then I'm all for it. How about a t-shirt that says "I know it's fake. Do you know you're an idiot."? I'd buy one.

 

[H33LTurn]

The problem isnt people who think there are others out there who still believe wrestling is real. It boils down to a certain protocol scripted TV shows follow. Rarely does a scripted TV show reveal its scripted. Think about all the TV shows you watch, and how sometimes you forget its just a show and get emotionally involved in the storyline. Or when you watch a movie and feel just a bit of angst when the protagonist is caught in a less than pleasant situation. When you break the 4th wall you harm the emotional connection its fans have to it. You ruin the simulation its supposed to be of real life by reminding everyone its an act. Before a magician does a trick does he say "remember, the dove is in a secret compartment in my hat"? Of course not, it will ruin the spectacle. Sure its just a couple of shirts, no need to overreact but I think the direction the business is taking as a whole is harming the one thing that made wrestling interesting in the past, the fact that the fans could look at a character or a storyline and make a good connection with something thats going on in their lives.

 

[Defekt]

I think thats a pretty bad idea. This was the main-reason why majority of people hated Vince Russo during his WCW-2000 run. He was mentioning scripts on screen,etc. Its ok for people who already know wrestling is scripted but its not good for fans who still think wrestling is real and not scripted. Its like telling people that what you are watching is "fake". Many people want to think wrestling is real even though they know its scripted.

Not a good move by the WWE. The CM Punk's worked "shoot" promo wasn't a good move either. Many people think it was but it actually was bad for WWE.

I partly agree.

I don't have any problem with the shirts, and this isn't exactly new for the WWE. The Job Squad in 1999 was way more blatant. Aside from little kids, everyone knows wrestling is scripted, and those who don't know won't have any idea what those shirts mean anyway.

However, you're right about Russo taking worked-shoots too far. I don't wanna see wrestlers booked to have purposely bad matches (Bagwell) or commentators talking about how a wrestler (Goldberg) is not "going along with the script" again.

But so far the WWE hasn't done anything even close to that, so I'm not worried. Even CM Punk's shoot promo didn't explicitly say wrestling wasn't real. You could take his words in a number of ways.

 

[mral82]

To everyone that thinks it's all fake your wrong! While the Storylines are Pre-determined the Action and Wrestling part is Real. If I hit you w/ a Steel Chair, Lead Pipe, Screwdriver, put you thru a plate glass window, threw you off a Stage, burned you w/ fire, or locked you in a Submission move your saying that wouldn't hurt. Just ask Darren Drozdov, Adam Copeland, Steve Austin, Mick Foley, Paul Levesque, Michael Higgenbottam, Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, Jesse Sorensen, Christopher Nowinski and this list can go on for miles. And way back in the days of Magilla and the Weasel (I mean Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan) the walls were already down with walls stuff. Back then they called "Jobbers" Journeymen and Heenan would always hate on Hogan saying he was a good guy and all that. So no it doesn't destroy it just SOLIDIFIES It. Go back during the late 90's the was a Faction called the JOB Squad, nuff said.

 

[NthDegree23]

All right, here's what I believe is happening: WWE thinks Punk blew up over the Summer because he broke kayfabe, so they're now trying to do the same all over the product. What WWE does not seem to understand is that when Punk "broke the fourth wall," as he put it, he wasn't ever undercutting the kayfabe reality of the IN-RING COMPETITION. Punk has too much respect for the art of the business to go, "HEY, THIS IS ALL FAKE AND IRISH WHIPS ARE RIDICULOUS." Really, he was actually breaking the FIFTH wall - the wall WWE has created in which there are no other wrestling companies on the planet, no such people as Davey Richards and AJ Styles, and WWE is the greatest "form of entertainment" in the world without rival. What Punk did and what these shirts are doing are two entirely different things.

It's the difference between Superman mentioning Spiderman versus Superman explaining that there's no such thing as X-ray vision or the gift of flight. One is DC acknowledging Marvel and the world they've created and one is breaking the suspension of disbelief.

If this is the "reality era," it shouldn't consist of Jerry Lawler explaining the logistics of "getting a rub." It should be about acknowledging other wrestling companies and performers and not having so many taboo subjects and ideas. The WWE struck gold with Punk and they don't seem to understand why.

 

[SomeAreSet]

It's a nice way of baiting the smarks. They are always pissed off because they don't feel like the WWE listens to them (because smarks don't really know what they're talking about),so coming out with t-shirts like these is a nice way of scamming smarks out of $20 so they can feel superior about the fact that they know wrestling jargon. That's why I go to Saturday Night Live tapings with a t-shirt that says "This show is written by writers and not just the actors",so I can puff my chest out for 2 hours and look down at the audience members who go to watch and "enjoy the show". Psssssh,what in the blue hell does "enjoy" mean?

 

[cm ben]

It boils down to a certain protocol scripted TV shows follow. Rarely does a scripted TV show reveal its scripted. Think about all the TV shows you watch, and how sometimes you forget its just a show and get emotionally involved in the storyline. Or when you watch a movie and feel just a bit of angst when the protagonist is caught in a less than pleasant situation. When you break the 4th wall you harm the emotional connection its fans have to it.

I feel like it's a little bit different with other shows. Wrestling is, more or less, a live sporting event with fixed endings for the matches. The outcomes are scripted, but most of the bulk of matches aren't, so breaking down the fourth wall isn't as destructive to the overall content. In a crime drama, for instance, the whole thing is scripted, so if the murder victim sits up and whispers "I'm not really dead" to the camera, the show really is ruined.

Personally, because of that difference, I'm fine with WWE admitting its illegitimacy lately, and I actually find is really fascinating. Wrestling is this really weird mix of genres that no one really knows how to comprehend. Everyone loves pointing out that it's fake, though, like Headman pointed out. I think the content would be a lot more intelligent and, shit, post-modern, even, if they started to "embrace the fake" more. It would be making a commentary on themselves, something that other shows can't do, and would probably get people talking.

 

[zephyrs]

Yeah, I'm not really a fan of WWE breaking kayfabe. It'd be like your favorite movie or sitcom breaking the fourth wall. It's hard to suspend disbelief and really get into something, when we're being reminded that it isn't real.

Save all of the back stage gossip for the websites and news letters, and give me engrossing storylines on TV instead.

 

[KnowMyRole-ShutYourMouth]

I guess. IDK who would even pay 20 dollars for those garbage t-shirts when you most certainly could get them made for at most 1/4 of the price. It's like Paralyzer Z said: this is to draw money out of the minority that believe they are smarter to the business than they actually are. Again, as Z said, this is like the anti-Cena merchandise. This is to make money off of people like US, not the general population. I mean, who the fuck would wear a terrible all black shirt with a word like "heel" written on it unless they had any clue what the connotation was?

 

[robinkom]

I think it's their attempt at trying to outsmart the internet smarks who they can sucker into some merchandise purchases. Work all the angles, so to speak, that's what a good promoter does. I'd never buy these shirts though. God, no! Not for $20, not for $5.

To be honest, when they make light of their terminology on-screen (like TNA is fond of doing), it interests me more. I've seen so many samey scripted storylines repeated time and again over the years that they cease to interest me. I'm quite the jaded wrestling fan.

No lie, the only thing that tends to keep me tuning in is what worked shoot CM Punk will give next because he's saying so many of the things that I'm thinking; the way he presents it gets me emotionally invested in whats going on. It's hard to ignore something that sounds that good when everyone else on the roster sounds like a robot just delivering the same cookie-cutter lines every week.

 

[KowboyKyle216]

I Really feel the kayfabe shirts break the Fourth wall too much. Im okay with a little bit of it like Dolph Using the #HEEL but i dont want it thrown at me. Kinda like i Always loved Mr Anderson's Shirt from TNA that Said Pro Wrestling is Real. People are fake! Theres a line where its okay and too much.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Its been said before that one of the worst things Vince did was reveal the secrets of wrestling. I think that while its great that they've finally acknowledged that wrestling is scripted, making shirts with "insider" wrestling terminology is a bit much. This business model of breaking the 4th wall isnt represented by any other show in the world. No other scripted show lets on to the fans that its scripted quite like WWE does. I dont understand the purpose for doing so. In the end nothing is gained except a horrible detour from what WWE should and has always been about. When you keep the rivalry relating to what happens on the show, everyone will understand whats going on and its more consistent with whats being going on in the past. But pushing the product in this direction is really excluding a majority of the fans who are children or TV fans for a minority who already know how the business works.

Who says that? ******s who don't understand business? The "rap" on wrestling fans was that they were dumb and thought it was real. Vince basically said "no, it's fake, it's entertainment". Now if you say "lol you think it's real" YOU are the one who looks like an idiot.

I like these shirts. The audience (and I'm looking at most of you on here) think you know more about wrestling than you really do and like these phrases. It's smart.

Also, please show me the demographic numbers. When I look at the audinece, it's not a "majority of fans who are children". Also, the kids know it's fake too. Also, the kids.....won't buy this shirt. It's for a different market. Hating this idea is like saying Applebees is dumb for selling beer because kids won't buy it.