How Is Miz Getting All This Mainstream Attention?

[Stu]

Okay, here's the deal. Ever since he won the WWE Championship, The Miz has received more mainstream attention than anyone since the Attitude Era. How the hell did this all happen? I'm not trying to criticize Miz, as I really like the guy and was ecstatic when he won the championship. I just really think it's surreal that all the outlets are coming after him.

So what exactly led to all this? It couldn't be because of his appearances on reality shows, could it? After all, what other reality star ever gets this much attention?

Maybe it's because he's from near Cleveland, and brought the city a championship. Okay, maybe not.

So what is it?

[Deleted]

He's a comfortable talker with an over-the-top personality who stands as the real "anti-establishment" character. Orton's the overmuscled tyrant who hits everyone with his finisher, but Miz embodies the outspoken rebel of the modern age who will challenge anyone, even when he's outgunned, and still manage to come out on top through trickery and wit.

That's a character type with a lot of marketability to anyone in this day and age. But outside of that, yes. His background definitely isn't a hindrance to the media attention he's gotten.

[percymania]

There's a lot of people who remember that loudmouth on the Real World who acted like he was going to become a professional wrestler someday... and now here he is, the WWE Champion. It's a great story.

[bob]

I think it's due to his background with reality tv

[deadstock]

To put it simple

1. He is the most charismatic wrestler whit mainstream appeal since Cena
2. Dates maryse
3. Has a crazy fan who is a mini celebrity herself.

[Sir Woodrow]

I saw him on Jimmy Fallon the other night and he really came off as a cool guy living his dream.

[Big L]

Ummm simply bc he's the Champ

[Yami Daimao]

Can I ask, what mainstream attention? I don't mean to say that negatively or anything like that, I'm just curious. I've only seen him on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon since he won the belt. Where else has he appeared?

[Ligerbusa]

His title win was on a lot of sites that wouldn't cover it if it was anyone else. Like TMZ and MTV. He hosted an epsode of TMZ.

[foreveryoung]

Probably the reality tv background crap.. Who cares.. The guy sucks. Im sorry. And the only reason he is champion, is because he's a company guy who just happens to be around during a time when the talent pool is slim. You put him the territory days, the Federeration years, or Attitude era when talent was stacked, no one would have even given him a 2nd glance. No way this guy would probably even of been giving an IC run much less a world title run

[rnrk supports BLM]

Dec 17, 2010 18:01:05 GMT -5 Yami Daimao said:

Can I ask, what mainstream attention? I don't mean to say that negatively or anything like that, I'm just curious. I've only seen him on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon since he won the belt. Where else has he appeared?

I have to second this. For all the talk of how Miz winning the championship is bringing in mainstream coverage, this really doesn't seem to be more than a bit of mild curiousity from the usual celebrity-following venues. Which is, certainly, a lot more than we'd get if it were just another wrestler without a reality TV background in Miz's place, but it doesn't strike me as any more significant than the buzz around David Otunga debuting on NXT, which brought in a nice share of press but didn't exactly set the ratings on fire.

[Deleted]

honestly guys as odd as this may be hear me out.

in the 80's we had Hogan as the voice of the people. good natured. patriotic. basically the embodiment of good.

in the 90's we had the redneck Austin as the voice of the people. an anti-authoritative, edgy beer-swilling asshole.

now, right in the reality TV boom, we have a cinderella story of Miz being able to make his dream that began on reality tv come true. he is the embodiment of what a current, trendy person should look like.

i'm not saying he could be as big as Austin or Hogan but i do believe he is the embodiment of this generation much like they were to theirs.

[Slingshot Suplay]

I think it's that the company wants him to be the next giant star so they are making him available for every main stream interview and promotional gig to get his name out there and exploit his background in reality tv in order to get exposure from the media.

[foreveryoung]

Yea well.. Not everyone is into the reality tv real world etc. And judging from the Raw rating, Miz is hardy some legend draw. Raw is still getting its basic 3.0 rating. Its the same old core audience watching. Not the masses like it used to be

[the5thhorseman]

He got interviewed by Bill Simmons for his ESPN podcast which is consistently one of the most listened to podcasts, CBS' American Morning, Fox News' Fox and Friends, I think that new View knockoff show, and has been interviewed by a lot of websites on the internet. Sheamus got some attention for being the first Irish Champion but I dont remember Orton getting ANY press when he won or held the belt.

[wildojinx]

Dec 17, 2010 18:21:18 GMT -5 the5thhorseman said:

He got interviewed by Bill Simmons for his ESPN podcast which is consistently one of the most listened to podcasts, CBS' American Morning, Fox News' Fox and Friends, I think that new View knockoff show, and has been interviewed by a lot of websites on the internet. Sheamus got some attention for being the first Irish Champion but I dont remember Orton getting ANY press when he won or held the belt.

And even prior to winning the belt he appeared in a paper jamz commercial (odd as you'd think theyd use some face like cena or mysterio to promote a product aimed at kids).

[The Ichi]

Eh, if you did some research, you'd probably find that every WWE Champ recieved some media attention whilst they had the belt. Miz's doesn't seem any different to me.

[andy82]

Because unlike the last holder, he doesn't have the personality of a brick...

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

Fame matters to Vince, no matter how small. Miz has some small mainstream appeal outside of wrestling and he's obviously going to milk it as much as possible. The fact that Miz...

A) is insanely comfortable with the media and happy to spend his downtime doing publicity appearances
B) doesn't fit the stereotypical roided-up musclehead mould that the mainstream audience has of wrestling
C) is a model employee and therefore a "safe" choice as representative of PG WWE

...is also a fantastic bonus for him.

[FUNK_US/BRODUS]

Dec 17, 2010 17:42:39 GMT -5 percymania said:

There's a lot of people who remember that loudmouth on the Real World who acted like he was going to become a professional wrestler someday... and now here he is, the WWE Champion. It's a great story.

This.