When did you learn that Wrestling was F-ke?

[Blindkarevik]

Basically the second Undertaker went full-on zombie.

For a while, I had rationalized that regular matches were scripted but title matches were real... so I guess I've always figured it was at least somewhat scripted.

[tartsonawire]

I've known for as long as I can remember. Daddy made sure we knew it wasn't all real, probably so we wouldn't go trying it on each other and so that, as a little kid, I wouldn't be all traumatized when my favorite wrestlers were selling an injury. To this day though, especially when I go to a live show, I try to forget that it's worked and pretend that it's "still real to me, darn it".

[Munkie91087]

I figured out it wasn't real when I was 10 years old. I was at King of the Ring 98, and saw Undertaker and Mankind outside talking to eachother and laughing. That's when it hit me that wrestlers in general didn't really hate eachother.

[tartsonawire]

skittles said:

10-12 though I didn't know to what degree. Still the word Fake is not right. Pre-determined yeah but it is hardly fake.

I agree with this. SPEAKING of people calling wresting fake... last Thursday in my Accounting class, the prof mentioned something about wrestling, and asked if anyone watched it. As usual, this brought about the usual chorus of "OMG, it's soooo fake!!!", especially from this couple that sits in the back. I spoke up and said I liked wrestling, which the prof pretty much ignored...Anyway, Tuesday I looked up and noticed that the same girl who was ranking on wrestling was wearing...A RANDY ORTON SHIRT. I said "I like your shirt" and she just kinda went um, yeah, and walked off.

[justjoe]

I think I always sort of knew, I mean... even when you're little, if you were exposed to the early 90's WWF... it was basically a live action cartoon.

If there had to be one defining moment, it would be Nailz's promo that he did from a maximum security prison where he basically said he would kill Big Bossman and then they STILL released him. Maybe it was a comment on our flawed justice system?

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Right as soon as I started watching. My parents explained it to me.

So, even though I knew it was fake, my 6 year old mind tried to figure out ways it wasn't or learn the secrets.....without Internet and dirtsheets.......

For some reason, I recall telling a friend of mine the wrestler's use blood packets during the matches. But, later, if they need to have blood for a picture, they cut themselves a little bit to get blood. This all based on a Flair pic from the 80's where he had his head bandaged and it had bled throgh.

Another friend and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how they decided who won. When you're 6 you don't know much, but you do know one universal truth, winning is more fun than losing. Your parents, teachers and coaches haven't hammered that "just have fun crap, why keep score?? crap" into your head. So you gotta figure out, well, if it's fake....what if Hulk wants to bodyslam Earthquake, but Earthquake doesn't want him to?

Then you get into stuff like the whole thing bell to bell is scripted (something most non-fans believe to this day)...he finally decided they would tell the wrestlers, "Whatever you do, just make sure Hulk Hogan wins".

Which is closer to the truth than we thought.

What I'm saying is, I always knew, what it takes a longtime to sink in.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

I agree with this. SPEAKING of people calling wresting fake... last Thursday in my Accounting class, the prof mentioned something about wrestling, and asked if anyone watched it. As usual, this brought about the usual chorus of "OMG, it's soooo fake!!!", especially from this couple that sits in the back. I spoke up and said I liked wrestling, which the prof pretty much ignored...Anyway, Tuesday I looked up and noticed that the same girl who was ranking on wrestling was wearing...A RANDY ORTON SHIRT. I said "I like your shirt" and she just kinda went um, yeah, and walked off.

See, you might buy that shirt because it's wrestling related. She could have seen it and thought, "he's soooooooooooooo cute" and bought it.

Some girls are dumb like that.

[rra]

I want you all to know that I apologize for using the word "Fake" for the thread title. Its absolutely sends the wrong connotation, but I wanted to make a provacative-attractive thread with a question that would stir good postings....which it has so far.

"Pre-Planned" is such a better term for it.

[Sumbody Gon' Get Dey Kneelift]

I came into it knowing it was fake.

[Shy Guy]

my dad used to remind me on a daily basis when i was 4.

he still does now....

[Jay Peas 42]

I was 16 when I started watching wrestleing. Wasn't really an issue. The first major issue was "How come Undertaker is wasting his time trying to hurt Shawn Michaels when his time would be better spent winning enough matches to qualify for a title shot?"

[Real Folk Bruce]

OK here's a more believable question.

When did you think it was REAL?

Seriously if Steve Austin stunnered Vince in real life he would have been arrested so fast I swear your heads would spin.

If DX really shoved Vince's head up their anus' they would have been fired.

If Kane really attached plugs to Shanes genitals and electricuted him the police would have shot him dead on the spot.

If Triple H really cracked Taker with a sledgehammer at Wrestlemania XVII he would have been killed.

I could go on but I'm sure you got the general idea.It's not about when you thought it was fake,it's when you thought it was real.

[Loki]

Even as a young mark, it was obvious the wrestlers weren't hitting thier moves at full force, otherwise poor Iron Mike Sharpe or Brian Costello wouldn't survive more than two episodes of Challenge or Superstars...

But I still thought for a while that the outcome of PPV matches wasn't really planned and it was more like a "that's the general guideline, but in the end what happens happens" deal.

I was around 14 when I attended my first live show, and seeing all the wrestlers travelling on the same bus killed what was left of my markdom.

About the "when do you believe it was real" question... pretty much NEVER. The physical abuse is too much and too frequent to make you think for a moment that it's 100% real! Criminal behaviour nonwithstanding...

[Johnny D]

LOL I believed it was real until I was 13. I called jobbers 'softies' back then too.

[Confused Mark Wahlberg]

I used to think that Iron Mike Sharpe was just unlucky.

[Deleted]

When I was younger (around 9 years old), one of my friends would say that the wrestlers use wires for the aerial moves.