Most Extreme Cases of Wrestlers Keeping Kayfabe....
Feb 12, 2022 22:37:47 GMT -5
Phosphor Glow likes this
Post by sungod2020 on Feb 12, 2022 22:37:47 GMT -5
For the longest time, the pre-determined nature of the wacky world of professional wrestling has been the worst kept secret. Outside of some minimally educated slackjawed yokels, pretty much everybody knew the matches were fixed, but weren't suppose to say it outloud. This was the days before the internet and social media, which gave these non-Thespian actors more freedom to live their characters 24/7. This is pretty much the origin of non-fans making fun of it and us for it being fake, as if the wrestlers and fans are idiots for keeping up this charade.
Some cases however are more extreme than others, even to the point of guarding kayfabe with their life("Classy" Freddie Blassie antagonizing a mob boss ready to kill him before Bruno saved him comes to mind). What are instances you can think of where the performer let the character they were playing get to their heads?
Grizzly Smith Kayfabing His Family - For those who may not know, Grizzly Smith is the father of WWE Hall of Famer Jake "The Snake" Roberts and two other wrestling veterans "Rockin" Robin and Sam Houston. To say he was a POS father and overall person is putting it nicely. Outside his shady escapades, he lived and breathed his character 24/7....including at home with his own family.
I Remember watching Dark Side of The Ring with The Snakeman and he said his dad were talking about moving them out of town since his on-screen adversaries were coming after him. I forgot what exactly what he said(I have to re-watch it), but his dad scared his children into believing this was all real. I can understand putting up this act with fans, but your own family gives kayfabe(and scumbaggery) a whole new meaning. When Bobby Heenan said some people kayfabed in private, he wasn't freaking kidding. No wonder why Jake had such a traumatic childhood.
Ted Dibiase Being The Million Dollar Man Everywhere He Went - This is much lighter and not as extreme as the one I mentioned above, but when not on camera, he was living the high life. In reality, DiBiase's road travel was deliberately booked for first-class airplane flights and five-star hotel accommodations, and he was given a stipend of petty cash from the WWF Offices so that he could "throw money around" in public (i.e. pick up tabs and "overtip", buy drinks for entire bars, actually pay for small items with a $100 bill, etc.) in order to make the character seem more real. A pretty cozy gimmick for the Hall of Famer.
Any examples you can think of?
Some cases however are more extreme than others, even to the point of guarding kayfabe with their life("Classy" Freddie Blassie antagonizing a mob boss ready to kill him before Bruno saved him comes to mind). What are instances you can think of where the performer let the character they were playing get to their heads?
Grizzly Smith Kayfabing His Family - For those who may not know, Grizzly Smith is the father of WWE Hall of Famer Jake "The Snake" Roberts and two other wrestling veterans "Rockin" Robin and Sam Houston. To say he was a POS father and overall person is putting it nicely. Outside his shady escapades, he lived and breathed his character 24/7....including at home with his own family.
I Remember watching Dark Side of The Ring with The Snakeman and he said his dad were talking about moving them out of town since his on-screen adversaries were coming after him. I forgot what exactly what he said(I have to re-watch it), but his dad scared his children into believing this was all real. I can understand putting up this act with fans, but your own family gives kayfabe(and scumbaggery) a whole new meaning. When Bobby Heenan said some people kayfabed in private, he wasn't freaking kidding. No wonder why Jake had such a traumatic childhood.
Ted Dibiase Being The Million Dollar Man Everywhere He Went - This is much lighter and not as extreme as the one I mentioned above, but when not on camera, he was living the high life. In reality, DiBiase's road travel was deliberately booked for first-class airplane flights and five-star hotel accommodations, and he was given a stipend of petty cash from the WWF Offices so that he could "throw money around" in public (i.e. pick up tabs and "overtip", buy drinks for entire bars, actually pay for small items with a $100 bill, etc.) in order to make the character seem more real. A pretty cozy gimmick for the Hall of Famer.
Any examples you can think of?