What is real "X-Pac heat"?

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

In the era of the internet, there comes a point when many wrestling fans become hip to how everything really works.

At that point, many start going on about how they find wrestlers that they dislike to be boring, or how they want them to lose whatever title they may be holding at that given time, often citing their desire to see someone they enjoy "to be given a chance", or how fresh blood is needed in a certain title scene/portion of the show.

Lately I'm starting to get the idea that people get worked into the show more often than they would like to admit. I believe that a lot of fans that think "I hate so-and-so, get him/her off my TV now" secretly smile at the concept of seeing them lose, or seeing them finally get theirs (doesn't really matter if the wrestler's face or heel). If they truly don't give a damn, they will change the channel even if they think that said wrestler they dislike might job.

Who else agrees?

[Brain Of F'n J]

Disagree. You're forgetting one important human factor: schadenfreude. Sometimes, we like to see people suffer misfortune. And it's REALLY juicy when the person suffering misfortune is someone we don't like. Sometimes X-Pac heat will make someone change the channel ... but sometimes, you wanna see them suffer first.

Jed Shaffer
~If you don't believe schadenfreude exists, ask yourself this: how many times have you watched Foley/UT Hell In A Cell?

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

brainofj said:

Disagree. You're forgetting one important human factor: schadenfreude. Sometimes, we like to see people suffer misfortune. And it's REALLY juicy when the person suffering misfortune is someone we don't like. Sometimes X-Pac heat will make someone change the channel ... but sometimes, you wanna see them suffer first.

Jed Shaffer
~If you don't believe schadenfreude exists, ask yourself this: how many times have you watched Foley/UT Hell In A Cell?

I know all about schadenfreude. It just wasn't the first thing that came to my mind.

[Joekishi]

I actually like X-pac, and I loved heel x-pac because he was such an ass.

X-pac heat doesn't really exist, it's one of those IWC myths.

[Dynamite Kid]

I don't think the HIAC is a good example of Shadenfreude. I'd say that JBL getting twatted with a chair by Stevie is a better example.

[I'm The Cool One]

my definition of x-pac heat is when you dislike a wrestler not because of their character, but because of the person they are. or because of that intangible they-just-get-on-your-f***ing-nerves-so-much-you-just-want-to-change-the-channel...

thats how i felt about x-pac. he was just so annoying that i didnt want to see him lose, i didnt want to see him win, i didnt want to see him at all... and i would actually change the channel when he came on.

[JMA]

Personally, I don't watch wrestlers that I don't like. I'll just fast-forward through their segments.

[thestinger]

withteeth said:

thats how i felt about x-pac. he was just so annoying that i didnt want to see him lose, i didnt want to see him win, i didnt want to see him at all... and i would actually change the channel when he came on.

To me, that's the true sign of "X-Pac" heat: if you change the channel, you're not being worked by a heel who is doing their job well.

However does anyone remember Hollywood Hogan in WCW around 1997-1998 and Jeff Jarrett in TNA around 2004-2006?

It seemed like a majority of the fans wanted them to go away forever, and people familiar with the business were predicting it would be impossible for them to ever turn face.

When they did, everyone was shocked that the fans would ever cheer for those guys again. But they did.

We recently had a thread where most of us agreed that Hollywood Hogan was one of the best and most successful heels in history, but at the time, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting an internet fan DEMANDING that Hogan retire now.

I guess my point is that either fans mistake real 'heel heat' for 'go away heat' or that IWC fans are not representative of wrestling fans at large.

[Cheeba]

Better X-Pac heat than Conway pops.

[Cry Me a Wiggle]

basicboogeynomix said:

I actually like X-pac, and I loved heel x-pac because he was such an ass.

X-pac heat doesn't really exist, it's one of those IWC myths.

X-Pac was over in '98 through 2000, but something miraculous happened in 2001 when even as a face (during the Invasion, when the entire WWF roster was a face) he was getting booed out of the building.

I maintain that they didn't need to turn WCW heel. They just needed to have every WCW wrestler face off against X-Pac.

[-Lithium-]

I dont understand how the IWC apparently went to every building everywhere and asked everyone why they were booing X-Pac...

[JMA]

Basically, fans stopped caring about X-Pac because he had stayed the same--whether he was a heel or face--ever since he had his re-debut. Edge hit the nail on the head with his "1998 called and they're sick of you too" promo.

Every wrestler has to eventually change--even the legends.

[soultsukino]

To those who say X pac heat doesn't exist, try remembering a few years ago when TNA brought Lex Luger in for a couple of shots and the backlash they got. Granted, that's a little extreme, but there you go.

[drjayphd (feat. Pitbull)]

brainofj said:

Disagree. You're forgetting one important human factor: schadenfreude.

Makin' the world a better place...

[Reverend BTY]

jma said:

Personally, I don't watch wrestlers that I don't like. I'll just fast-forward through their segments.

Agreed. I fast forward (if possible) or I just do something else.

On a side note, I enjoyed X-Pac. Given post-WWE was so much better than his E days, but I never had a problem with him.

[Mozenrath]

No heat will ever get more X-Pac heat than early Maivia.

"DIE ROCKY DIE!' anyone?