Professional Wrestling
04.24.00

I have to say that, surprisingly enough, I am a HUGE wrestling fan. 26 years old, I make a good living, live in a nice home (without wheels on it), don't have any relatives that are married to each other... I'm a [relatively] respectable 20-something. And the only person I know in the real world that is a bigger fan than I am is my 30-year-old, doctor girlfriend. When did WE become wrestling fans?

Back in the day, when I was completely infatuated with it, pro wrestling was for two kinds of people: kids and rednecks. So it was OK that I knew the names of all the big stars and their finishing moves. Actually, here's a quick quiz to see if you're from the same wrestling era I am...


Who did Hulk Hogan beat to win the Heavyweight Championship and what were each of their "big moves"?

The Iron Sheik, who had the Camel Clutch. Hogan finished off his opponents with the big Hogan Leg Drop.

Who formed the original "Rock and Wrestling Connection"?

Cyndi Lauper and Captain Lou Albano

What guest announcer was often referred to as "The Living Legend"?

Bruno Sammartino. Later on, Gorilla Monsoon was referred to as such.

What accompanied Koko B. Ware to the ring, and what was it's name?

Frankie, who was a huge parrot.

Rocky "The Rock" Miavia is the son of a wrestler. What was his dad's wrestling name and who was his tag team partner?

The Rock's dad is Rocky Johnson. His partner (in what I still think was one of the BEST tag teams EVER) was Tony Atlas.


Okay, so by now, you've got a pretty good idea of where I'm coming from. OR, maybe you just have no clue who those people are (except maybe Hulk Hogan who refuses to let go). Regardless, I'm coming from a time where if you picked up a "STEEL CHAIR" you got disqualified immediately... where the only people that cheated where the "bad guys", and that was usually only to keep their title in a match... where at least 4 matches per event were between a "Superstar" and some guy you never heard of from Freehold, NJ... and where Wrestling was NOT fake! (even though it always was).
And back then, no "respectable" person older than their teens watched wrestling. So how did this happen? How did Vince McMahon get more money than (and almost as much power as) God? How did we get to spending $30 a pop for Pay-Per-Views that get five other 20-somethings (lawyers, stock brokers, teachers, and real estate agents) excited to be packed into my living room to watch a 27" TV? Sure, it's still a kid favorite, but it's grown so far beyond that. It's actually big enough to have people complaining about it.

Like much of what's popular in this culture, you know you've made it big when there are parents groups, religious groups, and political groups after you for ruining their kids and their society. Parents are terrified that their kids, and the kids they are with every day, are becoming more and more violent. And some of the blame is falling on professional wrestling...

Third graders in a friend's class have told her to "Suck it" in response to her asking them questions. The other night at a WWF event at MSG, I saw a small girl carrying a sign that said, "The Rock does a body good". And during the matches, I hear a chorus of little kids screaming "kick his ass!" Kids are hurting themselves trying to do backflips off their decks onto their friends.

Okay, the wrestling moves they're doing on each other... well, that's been happening forever. Kids watch wrestling and put each other in headlocks. We used to watch Kung Fu movies on channel 5 on Saturday mornings, then run out side and spin-kick the hell out of each other. This is what being a kid is. Kids do stupid stuff for fun. Things adults wouldn't do. Then again, I press people over my head for fun, and my roommate's girlfriend yells for him to put her in the Boston Crab.

It really sucks for me to be torn over something I love. I love watching wrestling. I love watching the Rattlesnake give his boss two middle fingers before dowsing him in beer. Hell, he's living out one of my fantasies. I love watching a guy do one and a half flips of the top rope and smash into someone else. And I love watching someone get bloodied up at the bad end of a folding chair, ring bell, pipe... whatever. And I DO think that some of it is getting out of control.

I can't lay blame. Their business is doing their business... can't really blame them. Parents... well what the hell do parents ever know about controlling their kids. I don't think anyone has figured it out yet. Can't blame them. And the kids are just busy being kids. Can't blame them either. This is just a situation like any other in media. There's a demand and there's a supply. Those supplying the demand will continue to do so as long as there is money to be had.

You know, I just realized the true meaning of the category "Ramblings"... because I have no clue where I'm going with this.

I'm just torn about the subject. I sure as hell wouldn't want anyone to take away my wrestling. Then again, I wouldn't want my little kid to tell me to "suck it" either. I guess times have just changed. As they have a tendency to do. Maybe I'm just a purist at heart when it comes to the show. Wow, I almost said "sport". But it's a show just like any other on in prime time, with the same kind of story line, acting, suspense, and comedy. And I suppose that's what it comes down to, isn't it?

It's just a show. If parents are going to let their kids watch ANY TV show without supervision, without guidance... then they have no right to bitch and moan about negative influences the shows might have. Don't take your kids to live events where they're going to want to join in with everyone else chanting "asshole... asshole..." And if you do take them, don't get pissed when join in the fun.

Ya know, they say on the shows that these wrestlers are professionals and even they can get hurt, so please don't try this at home, etc. There really isn't much more for them to say, is there?

And I guess there isn't much more for me to say either.