When you knew it was scripted?

[Kris Kobain]

Was there a defining moment where you accepted that wrestling was scripted? Did it change your opinion of it?

For me it was after my first house show. It was during the first Undertaker/Mankind feud and they had a match against each other on that card.
The Undertaker won clean.
Fast forward to Monday Night Raw and the announcers were going on about how The Undertaker had never beat Mankind. That was the moment that I knew everything was scripted. I was a little disapointed because I was still young enough to believe everything was real. Oddly enough it didn't turn me off the product.

[Mattification]

Well my dad made sure I knew it was scripted. For whatever reason he hated wrestling and the fact that I watched it. I didn't accept his word on it though.

The big giveaway though was when someone slammed Big Bossman's head into the steel steps. Bossman didn't do it very well and ended up about a foot away from the steps but sold it like his skull had cracked. I was gutted when that happened.

I then watched every sporting event after that with a sceptical eye, convinced that everything was rigged. I soon learned to appreciate wrestling for what it was though.

[Orange]

The internet ruined it all for me.

[Kris Kobain]

I also had people in my family always telling me that it was fake but wouldn't accept it.

I'm in the group that feels the internet has hurt the business. It's really hard to be suprised by anything anymore.
That being said I don't have to come one the sites and read all this stuff. I chose too but I also see wrestling as just another tv show.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

First time I saw an Irish Whip, it's weird something so fundamental is so obviously fake.

[livetowin]

As soon as I tried a tombstone, and confirmed when I tried hulking up, in a fight.

[quantum]

Apr 3, 2010 10:40:50 GMT -5 livetowin said:

As soon as I tried a tombstone, and confirmed when I tried hulking up, in a fight.

;D

[agent817]

Apr 3, 2010 10:40:50 GMT -5 livetowin said:

As soon as I tried a tombstone, and confirmed when I tried hulking up, in a fight.

I'm sorry, I couldn't help but laugh.

Anyway, I was told left and right about the scripts and such. Even with the internet around, I was still somewhat of a mark. I read some updates and news about wrestlers on various websites. My parents tried to get me to see it. Even after I realized that it was scripted, it didn't hurt my interest in it. I may have had my moments in which I took breaks or my interested faded a bit, but it had nothing to do with realizing that it was scripted, nor did I ever start disliking wrestling.

It makes me wonder though. Do non-fans try to tell people that it's worked to discourage fans from liking it?

[Slingshot Suplay]

When I was a kid, Big John Studd in the Sears Tower and he was really nice, despite being a heel at the time. From that point on, I knew that wrestlers were playing characters, but I still thought that they just went to the ring and really improvised matches. I didn't know they had writers until Russo and Ed jumped to WCW. I remember people online making a big deal about "the WWF's 2 top writers leaving for WCW" and I said to myself "who cares, I don't even know who these guys are", because I didn't think it would make a difference.

[strykerdarksilence]

I grew up with two older brothers who were in with tape traders and people involved with the business in the UK, so I was brought up knowing it was worked, but with an appreciation for how hard that was to do well.

[Deleted]

I knew wrestling was scripted before I ever started watching it in the late '80s. I just thought of it like any of the other cartoons or TV shows I watched, and it didn't hamper my enjoyment of it a bit.

Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like not to know it was scripted, and whether or not I missed out on something by knowing all along.

[texan]

At a house show I went to in '96, we had seats on the aisle by where the wrestlers came out and my dad started chatting up one of the security guards who told him that he had seen the guys backstage going over their matches.

[Nacho STAYS Hyped]

Before I even started watching it. I was a smark almost from day one.

[Real Folk Bruce]

This may be a first on here, but I've never had an incident like the ones mentioned already. I was 3 or 4 when I first started watching, and the second I watched pro wrestling, I knew it was scripted. Not in a "aw, what a bummer" way but in the same way I enjoyed movies. In a way, it kind of makes you enjoy it more once you take into account all of the effort the promoters and the wrestlers put into the production. It's incredible.

[Kris Kobain]

A lot of good stories

Just want to touch on a few things

I do believe non-fans tell fans it's fake to discourage them from watching which I never understood. I don't tell people who watch the WNBA that it's not real basketball.

The irish whip: It never really crossed my mind as a kid but once I got older I wondered why the other guy would always go off and run when whipped. Same thing with the ladder matcehs. They always stick thier leg out when they fall and try to catch the rope or in some cases (mainly tlc) they jumop off the ladder through the table.

For the people who watched allready knowing it was scripted (I don't like fake) I think it's awesome that you kept an open mind and were able to enjoy it for the show itself. As far as missing out on not knowing it was scripted I don't think you did. In my opinion the greatest enjoyment comes from allowing yourself to get caught up in the moment.

I'm glad that no one was discouraged to watch after finding out the truth. The thing I hate the most is when it's ruined for people. My brother learned his lesson with me and now he allows his son to watch without telling him it's scrpted. He just enjoys watching him get excited over the matches.

[Son of a Pregnant Dog]

When I saw Greg Valentine stomping along with his punches to some jobber years ago when I was a kid. I then kept looking with interest to discover all the other little ways the action was embellished. It didn't make me lose any interest in wrestling.

So I pretty much always knew it was scripted, and I had plenty of 'it's fake' family member comments too.

[Kris Kobain]

Ah cool so in a weird way figuring out it was scripted peaked your interest and had you paying closer attention. That's actually a cool way to go about it.

[JMA]

Giant Gonzales. 'Nuff said.

[neal]

On a mid-80's AWA on ESPN episode, Col. DeBeer's was phantom stomping a jobber, who was selling the phantom stomps. I suspected before that match, but there was no way I could continue to lie to myself after that. So...thanks, Col. DeBeer's! It would have been less traumatic if you told me there was no Santa Claus.

[Kris Kobain]

It's always terrible when a wrestler's performance is what gives it away. It makes you feel like you were lied to. I guess you could continue to lie to yourself and say that maybe just that match was fake. I'm glad terrible wrestlers didn't turn you guys off.