Can't fail gimmicks

[Bubble Lead]

Nov 4, 2009 20:43:14 GMT -5 triplealbert said:

Nov 4, 2009 20:07:42 GMT -5 Bubble Lead said:

Working class guy that likes drinking beer and beating people up.

Working class guy that likes drinking beer and beating people up.

That's not the Stone Cold character, and certainly not the original Stone Cold character. Stone Cold from 1996-(at least)Summerslam 1997 was nothing like what we now associate Stone Cold with, and even babyface Austin was very different than Sandman.

Oh, I agree, but he was talking about the beer drinking, working mans champ face Austin. Not sadistic badass heel Austin.

I am not saying the two characters are identical anyway. Just similar enough to draw comparisons and I think Sandman could have pulled off the face bar room brawler character.

[The Charismatic Enabeler]

Triple H. Anyone could have married Vinces daughter.

[Bo Rida]

Mickie James.
I think almost any diva would have been a success with the lesbian stalker role, although they probably wouldn't have lasted as long without her enthusiasm and energy.

[segaz]

The Rock.
Anyone can raise an eyebrow. /sic

The Big Show.

Kane. Anyone can wear a mask stand still and not speak.

Bret Hart. Anyone can hate the US and HBK, and be a 'wrestling' champion and call Sid a big dummy. (Not anyone can love Canada though. )


No, I kid.

[rk9295]

Foreign wrestlers who hate America = can't fail heel

[Push R Truth]

I'll get a lot of crap for this....





Jillian Hall's "Awful Signing Superstar Wannabe" gimmick is quite possible the best gimmick in the history of pro wrestling. You could plug anybody into that role and the crowd would instantly want any random jobber to come out and crush them to make them shut up.


She just knows just how to squeak and be annoying enough to make it perfectly over the top. She takes an easy gimmick and plays it to perfection.



But seriously, go to any Indy Wrestling night, a wrestler picks up a mic and starts to bellow "If You Seek Amy"... hell, Rob Conway could come out to a thunderous pop if he made the guy shut up.

[JLAJRC]

How about simply insulting your audience like Jericho, CM Punk, Edge, etc.?

Being an arrogant rich guy like Ted Dibiase or JBL.

Hate to say it, but being gay gets you over as a heel. See early Goldust, Adrian Adonis, Billy and Chuck, etc.

[Deleted]

There are some gimmicks that aren't designed for the wrestler, but rather need a wrestler to fill the gimmick. There are a lot of bad ones (Max Moon, Battle Kat, etc.), however there are some that will get over even without the utmost best wrestler portraying them.

I'd say that evil foreigner gimmicks will almost always get over. For instance, Sgt. Slaughter added a whole new dimension to the evil Iraqi character with his sympathizer/turncoat persona, but in 1991, you could have stuck just about anyone in that role and it would have worked. In fact, one might even argue that it would have made far more sense to have an actual middle-eastern wrestler instead of Slaughter. Perhaps a younger "monster" heel would have worked better in some aspects, but it still got heat like crazy because of what it was.

It's funny that the patriot/foreigner gimmick combo doesn't work both ways, and as far as I can tell, the All-American Hero gimmick doesn't always get over. I think Jim Duggan made it work because he was an "everyman," and Hulk Hogan could play that aspect of his character up when he needed to because he was so charismatic. But when it was forced on a wrestler that it felt unnatural on, like Lex Luger, it just doesn't fit.

Speaking of Hogan, I guess some (including Hogan) would say that him, Jesse Ventura, and Billy Graham all got over with the same "can't fail" gimmick. Granted, it still needed a lot of personality to make it work. I guess you couldn't put Superstar Billy Graham's gimmick on David Flair and expect him to get over.

On another note, "Evil" Doink also comes to mind as a gimmick that's good enough to get over with any charismatic wrestler.

[chunkylover53]

There's no such thing as a "fool-proof" gimmick. Its about giving it to the right person at the right time.

That being said, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's gimmick was not a one dimensional character like some might say. His character stemmed from Eric Bischoff firing him over the phone and he was taking his anger out on the WWF Universe. That sprang a life of its own. It was Austin being himself with the volume turned up.

Now, when Austin could'nt wrestle anymore and be the GM of RAW, then it was all about giving people stunners and drinking beer.

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

Honestly, I only agree with #3.

I can't see anyone as "Legend Killer" aside from Orton, mainly because the WWE did something similar with Rob Conway during his feud with the legends, and it failed miserably- when he tried it, he just sounded like a whiner. Orton's mix of narcissism and violent instability makes it work.

And Austin was an amazing performer to begin with- he made Stunning Steve into just as believable an arrogant ass as he made Stone Cold into a working class hero. In fact, Stone Cold could have been the cheesiest, lamest thing ever if it were given to the wrong wrestler.

[Bubble Lead]

Kozlov basically had Tazs gimmick and failed to get over...and he is a BIG, mean looking guy who looked to fit the gimmick much more.

See Survivor Series 2008. No reaction to his match and dropped far down the card soon after.

[Albino Heat]

Steven Richards RTC leader.

[Deleted]

Nov 5, 2009 0:40:20 GMT -5 The Charismatic Enabeler said:

Triple H. Anyone could have married Vinces daughter.

Dennis Knight disagrees

[VeggieOverlord]

I disagree with all three of those. It takes effort and skill from the performer to make a gimmick work. Of those three you mentioned, each performer had something special to make the gimmick work. Is that to say another guy with similar qualities couldn't make it work? No, but you have to give credit to the wrestler.

[erik316wttn]

If you have a big, muscular, scary-looking guy, the "Unstoppable monster" gimimck ALWAYS works if booked correctly.