Turd Ferguson
Hank Scorpio
John Cena: Colossal Douche
Posts: 7,402
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Post by Turd Ferguson on Dec 8, 2009 11:12:46 GMT -5
I always say that it's staged, not fake. It's like talking to someone who says they watch The Office, and telling them, "You know, that's not how a real work environment is. It's fake."
It's a show. It's done for the flair (WOO) of it all. It's like they go out there with headgear and their singlets in the little circle and fake an actual amateur wrestling match. Followed by fake shotput and fake hurdles. And the finale, the fake polevault.
It hasn't been presented as a legit competition in ages. It's implied, but it's never outright said anymore.
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H-Fist
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 6,485
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Post by H-Fist on Dec 8, 2009 12:10:34 GMT -5
People just don't "get it". Wrestling is something you need to "get". And most people don't. When people hear you like wrestling, they assume that it's because you like violence and they then take it upon themselves to inform you that it's, in fact, fake violence and not real, as if they are doing you a favour. What these people don't understand that wrestling is so much more than two oiled up, sweaty grown men in speedos grappling each other in the ring. It's art, it's a form of theater, it's the greatest form of entertainment in the world. At least in my eyes. It's the art of pro wrestling to tell a story in the ring that looks painful and dangerous, but really isn't. It's about creating characters that the crowd cares about and has an emotional investment in, it's also about working hard to entertain the fans and that's where I really have respect for wrestlers over MMA fighters: the working. When you're the top man, the top draw of your company, it's your job to make sure the fans who paid to see you never go home disappointed. No matter who you're facing, it's your duty to give the fans an entertaining match. Just look at Flair in the days of territories way back when. Not only was it his job as the NWA World Champion to have a good match with whoever, but he also had to make them look like a legitimate threat to the NWA title, no matter who they were. I'm not an MMA, fan but I do understand that they train hard and obviously it takes an immense amount of toughness to make in MMA, but what the general public doesn't get is that MMA and wrestling are two entirely different animals and comparing them is really like apples and oranges. It doesn't take just a random string of moves to be a good professional wrestler, it takes an ability to tell stories and give the fans what they want. And I would like someone who mocks wrestlers for not being "real athletes" to go five minutes with a pro wrestler in the ring. I don't think a lot of people could make it through the five minutes in a competitive match. I remember Flair telling a story form his younger days when he was getting ready for a match and a veteran then asked him what kind of a match he was going to have, and Flair answered that he has 9 minutes tonight. Then veteran then asked Flair: "Well, how are you going to use those 9 minutes to give these fans what they want to see?" And that pretty much sums it up for me. This. The fact that the outcomes are predetermined and the matches are worked does nothing to detract from its value. Pro wrestling is no more or less "sports entertainment" than a major league-level sports game. Don't believe me? vs vs vs vs vs vs
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vivix
ALF
Strike Hard Strike Fast
Posts: 1,077
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Post by vivix on Dec 8, 2009 12:28:06 GMT -5
I had a woman argue with me that when Jay Briscoe was hung fromt he ceiling by the AOTF that he wasn't really bleeding and it was fake and he had a pump squirting it out.
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Post by sdoyle7798 on Dec 8, 2009 12:31:57 GMT -5
The reason why wrestling takes so much flak is because it spent 70+ years aggressively trying to make everyone think it was real. I believe this is the main reason. All those years of promoters, wrestlers, announcers, etc. trying to play it up as real during the kayfabe years. Back then, it was like telling kids there is no Santa. Now it is just a hold over insult from that time. I usually use the "movies/TV shows are also fake but are entertainment" and the like when I hear that.
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DavidArquette
Don Corleone
The actor formerly known as avanteproject
Posts: 1,542
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Post by DavidArquette on Dec 8, 2009 13:51:34 GMT -5
I hate the whole "It's fake" 'argument'. It annoys the crap outta me everytime, especially because I did some training for a couple months and just that took it's toll.
But when trying to explain that I was aching all over after every session, that 'springy mat' has very little give to it and that I broke my nose a few weeks in, I just get told "you're lying!"
Some people are just too ignorant, I guess.
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Post by varzens on Dec 8, 2009 14:42:25 GMT -5
Them: "You know it's fake, don't you?"
Me: "Do you watch movies?"
Them: "Yeah, I do"
Me: "Then STFU!!!"
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dannyrctv
Trap-Jaw
Big Time Wrestling video guy
Posts: 365
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Post by dannyrctv on Dec 8, 2009 15:35:50 GMT -5
I can't believe in 2009 almost 2010 people are still saying that. I 've been a wrestling fan for over 34 years (I'm 43) and would put up with that (when I was a kid I thought it was real) or even worse be looked down upon for liking it. I come from an era where it wasn't wise to admit you liked wrestling. Today it's more accepting and I haven't heard anyone tell me it's fake in many years especially Now that it's all out in the open, but when someone does I give them crap that they're behind the times!
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Post by Davey is Awesome on Dec 8, 2009 17:37:50 GMT -5
"Really, you like Stephen King? You know that book 'Christine'? That's fake! Yeah, that car never actually killed people. It's just words on a piece of paper. Totally fake. How could you like that?" I've done this quite a few times. I guess people just want to seem intelligent and make you feel like a maroon for not knowing it's fake. I just shrug it off, and if they persist, that's usually when the "fun" begins.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2009 17:40:16 GMT -5
I don't hear that alot anymore. If I do hear it though I offer to pay for their ticket next time so they can say it to a wrestler's face and see what happens. That always shuts them up.
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Post by Nacho STAYS Hyped on Dec 8, 2009 18:48:30 GMT -5
Random guy: "You know it's fake, right?"
Me: "Heh, stop kidding around."
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Post by Real Folk Bruce on Dec 8, 2009 18:56:05 GMT -5
My response is usually something along the lines of "No s*** Sherlock!" or "And the sky is blue, what's your point?" or "Just like those reality shows you watch".
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Post by The only Buzz Sawyer mark ever on Dec 8, 2009 19:07:32 GMT -5
I usually tell people that I know it's fake but that the hazards are real.
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Randy Barber 4-Life
Hank Scorpio
I have received an email from RAW's anonymous General Manager. And I quote: "No play for Mr. Gray!"
Posts: 5,001
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Post by Randy Barber 4-Life on Dec 8, 2009 19:20:43 GMT -5
Try comparing it to the Harlem Globetrotters. Nobody goes to a Globetrotters "game" for the competition. It's an athletic exhibition, maybe even athletic theater so to speak, staged in the setting of a basketball game. Pro wrestling is the same thing, athletic theater taking place in the setting of an actual fight.
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TuneinTokyo
Hank Scorpio
The Mountain from Stone Mountain
Posts: 6,431
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Post by TuneinTokyo on Dec 8, 2009 22:14:19 GMT -5
I heard Bono say once rearding the hippy scene.
If you didn't get it, you weren't invited.
At least it's easier now than the kayfabe days.
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El Pollo Guerrera
Grimlock
His name has chicken in it, and he is good at makin' .gifs, so that's cool.
Status: Runner
Posts: 14,765
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Post by El Pollo Guerrera on Dec 9, 2009 0:30:59 GMT -5
Responses I've made to "You know it's fake, right?"...
"So is every movie that's come out of Hollywood for the last 100 years... excpet for 'The Real Cancun'..."
"So was 'Star Wars'..." (or 'Star Trek', or 'Transformers', or 'Lord of the Rings' or whatever movie the person was raving about previously...)
"So what? It's entertaining."
***********
I had a conversation with my nephew one day (he's in his 20's)... he asked me "What is the least appreciated art form?" and I said pro wrestling (he was thinking 'mime'). He asked why and I told him this...
"Next time you're at a party and someone asks what you do in your spare time, tell them you collect porn. You know what reaction you'll get? They'll look at you strange, drop the subject and then probably walk away. Then start telling them that you collect pro wrestling. You know what reaction you'll get? 'You really watch that stuff?' 'How can you watch that stuff?' 'You know that's fake, right?' People understand porn... they may not like it but they understand it. People who aren't wrestling fans don't understand pro that wrestling is entertainment, because they don't want to."
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Chainsaw
T
A very BAD man.
It is what it is
Posts: 90,480
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Post by Chainsaw on Dec 9, 2009 2:52:47 GMT -5
Jeff Jarrett put it best in The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling, "For those that believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation will do." This is the one I've always adhered to.
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Sam Punk
Hank Scorpio
Own Nothing, Be Happy
Posts: 6,312
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Post by Sam Punk on Dec 9, 2009 13:30:46 GMT -5
This is exactly why it's never a good idea to let people know you're a sports entertainment fan.
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Post by The Blue Blazer on Dec 9, 2009 14:31:02 GMT -5
It's not fake...it's fixed. Huge difference.
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Post by toodarkmark on Dec 9, 2009 22:25:15 GMT -5
Random guy: "You know it's fake, right?" Me: "Heh, stop kidding around." I think I'm gonna do this from now on. I always say "You like Seinfeld right, that's fake, but you love it. Except here people really get hurt and look how many die from the injuries." It's funny because just today I got into the discussion while I was studying in a group for law school exams. I always explain how when I trained, it was the hardest month physically on me ever. Much harder than High School football. But like everyone has said, either you get it or you don't.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2009 0:03:45 GMT -5
every year i invite people over to my house to watch wrestlemania. every year its always a group of people who don't like wrestling/haven't watched it in years.
for the last 3 years each of them loved the MITB match where even they were like ok. screw this. this shit is cool. then some other matches come along (lets take WM25 for example) like the divas match and whatever... they hated Kid Rock just like we do... they thought it was dumb but laughed at Santino winning (since i had shown them Santino clips before) they loved the Hardy match basically going Holy Shit half the time... and the the kicker.
they freaking loved the Taker/HBK match. honestly i've never seen them so passionate and into something besides a hockey game involving their favourite teams. every nearfall. every dive. everything was amazing to them. everyone was wondering when it would end and were awed at how amazing the match was. after the match ended i looked around at them and said "there ya go. thats why i love wrestling." since then they may make fun of me for it every now and then... but even for a small moment... they were marks too.
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