agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,327
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Post by agent817 on May 18, 2014 12:16:44 GMT -5
Okay, I am talking about Shawn Michaels back in the 1990s right here. I really wonder who the bookers were trying to appeal to when he became a face back in the day. When Shawn Michaels turned heel back in the early 1990s, his character worked because he was supposed to be this pretty boy-type who was also sexist and the "Sexy Boy" theme music went well with it during his heel run. However, when he turned face, he still had the same gimmick, except it got a little more flamboyant as he incorporated the male stripper-like dances into it, not to mention those hats he wore, and let's not forget his entrance attire.
I could see if they were trying to have him appeal to the female fanbase, but if the bookers are trying to sell this guy as the top face of the company, especially during his first reign as WWF champion, they could have tweaked his gimmick a bit to have him appeal to all the masses. Hell, Vince's commentary on him didn't help at all.
I know he still rocked those entrance gears even when he turned heel and formed DX, but at least he acted like a guy you were supposed to hate and he did well at it. At least he acted differently when he came back in 2002, but he still had the same theme music as before. He was more over and much better than how he was in the mid-1990s in my opinion.
What do you think?
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on May 18, 2014 12:21:07 GMT -5
The 2003-2010 HBK would have probably been over like gangbusters back in 1996 (the one that feuded with Hogan, probably not though). He was still pretty cocky and funny, but by then he had enough humility to counter it and not drive a portion of the fans off. The cowboy hats he eventually wore would have given off a better vibe than the stripper cap at least.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2014 12:21:28 GMT -5
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Post by cabbageboy on May 18, 2014 12:22:56 GMT -5
As a teenager for most of that run I can assure you it was not me he was appealing to. 1996 era WWF with Shawn dancing like a male stripper and Goldust doing his disturbing antics made for one of the most homoerotic eras in mainstream wrestling. There are reasons that WCW was crushing them at that point. Not only was WCW's own product far better from an in ring and storyline standpoint, the WWF was doing stuff that simply alienated viewers and drove them to the WCW shows. It's funny that in the analysis of 1996 era wrestling, everyone talks about what WCW was doing right but not the stuff WWF did wrong.
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Post by Confused Mark Wahlberg on May 18, 2014 12:27:15 GMT -5
I remember he used to be "the most flamboyant WWF superstar" who "lived his life openly and freely".
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2014 12:29:53 GMT -5
The Blue Oyster Club paid big money to air WWF PPV's at the time.
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Bub (BLM)
Patti Mayonnaise
advocates duck on rodent violence
Fed. Up.
Posts: 37,742
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Post by Bub (BLM) on May 18, 2014 12:32:47 GMT -5
My guess? Vince.
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Post by wildojinx on May 18, 2014 12:35:02 GMT -5
As i said in another thread, the best thing for him would probably have been to turn heel soon after winning the belt (maybe after the diesel match) and team up with Camp Cornette, and eventually have Vader turn face. In the interim, he could feud with Ahmed, Sid (assuming the warrior fiasco still happpens), maybe even Jake Roberts. This would likely kill the mankind feud of course, but if mankind still turned face in 97 you can still have that match.
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Jiren
Patti Mayonnaise
Hearts Bayformers
Posts: 35,163
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Post by Jiren on May 18, 2014 12:37:41 GMT -5
Vince and only Vince
His commentary during his reign was unbearable
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Post by Bob Schlapowitz on May 18, 2014 13:18:58 GMT -5
As a teenager for most of that run I can assure you it was not me he was appealing to. 1996 era WWF with Shawn dancing like a male stripper and Goldust doing his disturbing antics made for one of the most homoerotic eras in mainstream wrestling. There are reasons that WCW was crushing them at that point. Not only was WCW's own product far better from an in ring and storyline standpoint, the WWF was doing stuff that simply alienated viewers and drove them to the WCW shows. It's funny that in the analysis of 1996 era wrestling, everyone talks about what WCW was doing right but not the stuff WWF did wrong. Yeah, I was 18 or so at the time, and absolutely could not stand Shawn Michaels. I absolutely despised the "boyhood dream" character, and all I wanted was to see either Mankind or Steve Austin absolutely destroy him. Looking back on 1996, it's really no mystery why WCW was kicking the WWF's ass in the ratings! |
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Lancers
El Dandy
Oh you
Posts: 7,951
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Post by Lancers on May 18, 2014 13:20:47 GMT -5
Had to have been Vince. He needed a cold shower after every HBK match in the mid 1990s.
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Post by Confused Mark Wahlberg on May 18, 2014 13:22:54 GMT -5
Vince: "GAHITSSHAWNMICHAELSTHEBOYTOYLISTENTOTHECROWDBOYHOODDREAM(#@^T$R*(#@gf@UH"
~jizzes pants~
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Johnny
Don Corleone
Achievement Unlocked: TLDR - Read the longest post in board history.
Posts: 1,671
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Post by Johnny on May 18, 2014 13:26:41 GMT -5
I was 14 at the time, and it never occurred to me that he resembled a "male stripper". The way I see it, you had to be pretty thick skinned to be a wwe fan in the mid nineties, so a male stripper was no real extra turn off.
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Post by ________ has left the building on May 18, 2014 13:27:04 GMT -5
Since Vince couldn't have the jacked up, oiled bodybuilder as a world champion at the time, he went to his second favorite fetish: masculine twink.
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Post by MichaelMartini on May 18, 2014 13:36:54 GMT -5
I have no idea. Woman and gay men I guess. I watched a HBK vs Yokozuna match on youtube recently and there's HBK promo video talking about how he's sexy and confident. Look it up, it's the gayest thing ever.
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amaron
Samurai Cop
I yam what I yam.
Posts: 2,212 
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Post by amaron on May 18, 2014 13:43:03 GMT -5
Vince: "GAHITSSHAWNMICHAELSTHEBOYTOYLISTENTOTHECROWDBOYHOODDREAM(#@^T$R*(#@gf@UH" ~jizzes pants~ That WM12 entrance was so embarassing. |
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Chip
Hank Scorpio
Slam Jam Death.
Posts: 5,185
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Post by Chip on May 18, 2014 13:44:00 GMT -5
Since Vince couldn't have the jacked up, oiled bodybuilder as a world champion at the time, he went to his second favorite fetish: masculine twink. Wouldn't put it past Vince to ship HBK and Hunter as the ultimate meeting of his fetishes. |
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Jiren
Patti Mayonnaise
Hearts Bayformers
Posts: 35,163
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Post by Jiren on May 18, 2014 13:44:31 GMT -5
Vince: "GAHITSSHAWNMICHAELSTHEBOYTOYLISTENTOTHECROWDBOYHOODDREAM(#@^T$R*(#@gf@UH" ~jizzes pants~ That WM12 entrance was so embarassing. UUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNBBBBBBBBBEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLIIIIIIIEEEEEEVVVVVAAAAABBBBBBLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEE That was pretty much all of 96 |
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Post by ________ has left the building on May 18, 2014 13:46:44 GMT -5
Since Vince couldn't have the jacked up, oiled bodybuilder as a world champion at the time, he went to his second favorite fetish: masculine twink. Wouldn't put it past Vince to ship HBK and Hunter as the ultimate meeting of his fetishes. He probably pays escorts to act out his fanfics. Might finally got that "I'm the father of Stephanie's child" angle out of his system. |
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Post by Confused Mark Wahlberg on May 18, 2014 13:47:49 GMT -5
Another thing, Vince would say, 'IT'S THE BOYTOY SHAWN MICHAELS!', when his theme song explicitly says he's NOT a boy toy.
Explain that, Vince!
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