Do You Ruin It For Marks?

[Cranjis McBasketball]

I don't mean little kids who believe wrestling is still real. I mean adults, people you see out in the real world who believe what the TV tells them?

I was talking to the waitress in the pub the other night and she was a fan..plus a total mark.

My buddy asked her who her favourite wrestler was, she first asked "old school" or new guys.....Her "old school" favourites were the Rock.

But, she said her current favourite was Jeff Hardy, but he wasn't wrestling anymore because he was injured.

I didn't have the heart to tell her he didn't renew his contract and then got busted for drugs.

She's happier believing he's just injured and could return at any moment.

Same as a guy who told me about Jericho getting fired, he said he was pretty sure it was just a storyline.

Or the guy who told me how surprised he was that when he met the Undertaker at the mall, he was actually nice and nothing like he was on TV.

Do you play along with the people who still honestly believe they aren't being worked?

[Schattenjager]

I totally ruin it if I get the chance.

[segaz]

Nov 5, 2009 6:03:47 GMT -5 Schattenjager said:

I totally ruin it if I get the chance.

Wow.

[Solid Stryk-Dizzle]

Nov 5, 2009 6:03:47 GMT -5 Schattenjager said:

I totally ruin it if I get the chance.

You're a real winner.

No I don't I actually let people enjoy the show they want to watch and the people they want to see.

[ellisdee]

Nov 5, 2009 6:03:47 GMT -5 Schattenjager said:

I totally ruin it if I get the chance.

haha.

[markdown474]

Nov 5, 2009 7:15:09 GMT -5 Solid Stryk-Dizzle said:

Nov 5, 2009 6:03:47 GMT -5 Schattenjager said:

I totally ruin it if I get the chance.

You're a real winner.

No I don't I actually let people enjoy the show they want to watch and the people they want to see.

But let me ask you the very serious question, what if it were you who still believed? Would you want someone to clue you in, or would you rather live in the ignorant bliss? He said at the onset we're not talking about kids, so are you really hurting an adult telling them the truth about pro wrestling? Personally I'd rather know the truth but I guess there is something to be said for being happy and unaware of the truth.

Also if she's not a big enough fan to follow on the internet, is she really going to be the type that's truly hurt to find out about Jeff Hardy's drug problem? My guess is she'd respond with a "No way??? That's awful".

I think it would be kind of silly to continue the conversation pretending this guy who she doesn't know personally (it's not like you're talking about her brother here) is just hurt. In fact when I stop and think about it, it's actually a little patronizing. Either drop the conversation, or talk to her like an adult and just say what's really going on.....I really think most grown-ups can handle it.

[Slingshot Suplay]

Nothing beats the feeling of watching a kid run to the WWE section of a Toys R Us and being overjoyed when they find their John Cena figure. Then, slapping the toy out of their hands and saying "Cena sucks, kid. He can't wrestle. Here, buy this Jericho figure. Better workrate. No need to thank me... I just saved your life."

;D

Nah, I'd never ruin someone's wrestling experience.

[@TenaciousBe]

I've got a couple friends who are pretty markish... I just try to keep them clued in on the real reasons behind people being gone, and such. And when they blindly cheer the faces and boo the heels, I just grin and say "Screw you... the Miz IS awesome!"

[Kick Your Face]

Same as a guy who told me about Jericho getting fired, he said he was pretty sure it was just a storyline.

This is actually what a lot of people would think if they didn't read wrestling news sites, me included.

[nonrev]

I was on the bus at a transfer station and overheard the busdriver and a passenger talking about who could possibly beat the Big Show maybe a week ago. He was damn near impossible to pin. I was smiling listening to how the conversation developed.

bold for bus driver
regular for passenger
for me


"Man I think the only guy strong enough to beat the Big Show is Mark Henry."

"Yeah but he's really not that good if he gets taken to the ground though."

"Didn't John Cena beat the Big Show one time?"

"Man you know who I can't stand?"

"Who?"

"The Miz"

"He's Awesome!" ;D

"He's not awesome! He's annoying! I don't know who I hate more him or Chris Jericho!"

"I tell you who I do like though...Evan Bourne!"

"That kid can do things that no one else can do. He'd definitely be a champ if he put some more weight on."

Here's where I jump into the conversation

: "Well if he gained more weight he probably wouldn't have the speed to do all the amazing moves he does."

"Well he doesn't need to gain that much more weight, just a good 15 pounds or so that'll definitely make him more of a threat."

: "Well remember Rey Mysterio is about the same weight as Bourne and he's also a former champion and still does his amazing moves."

"He's right Mysterio is still pretty amazing."

"......"

then the bus pulled out.


listening to grown marks discussions and playing along was probably the funnest thing I've done in quite a while.

[Ben Wyatt]

Nope.

Ive said it before, I kinda wish I still was one.

[Azrael from Outerspace]

Isn't that what being a wrestling fan supposed to be? You see it on TV and go along with what you see. My Uncle is like that, big fan of Triple H because he just keeps fighting and if you push him too far he'll bring out the sledge. He seems to enjoy the product and likes what he sees, that's cool. I hate being jaded because watching just to watch seems so much more enjoyable.

Edit: And no i would never ruin it for anyone.

[DavidArquette]

Nov 5, 2009 8:15:01 GMT -5 Slingshot Suplay said:

Nothing beats the feeling of watching a kid run to the WWE section of a Toys R Us and being overjoyed when they find their John Cena figure. Then, slapping the toy out of their hands and saying "Cena sucks, kid. He can't wrestle. Here, buy this Jericho figure. Better workrate. No need to thank me... I just saved your life."

;D

Nah, I'd never ruin someone's wrestling experience.

I've wanted to do that so many times. lol

I don't think I've ever ruined it for anyone, just myself. I can't just enjoy watching a match like I used to, I always have to analyze it. I've made it worse for myself by seeking out backstage news and reading about the politics and things like that, and once you start, it's hard to stop.

[johnnyk9]

I don't ruin it for marks cause even though I'm a smark, I still mark out all the time

[hollywood]

As far as informing people on what actually happened (i.e. Jeffy Hardy's drug arrest and the like), I'm always ready to clue someone in. But I like to think I'm tactful about it.

As far as marks at shows that get into it, I'm perfectly content to just settle back and let them enjoy the show. The only time I ever fired back at anyone was when some fan got all pissy with me for cheering one of the badguys. (Hey, he was a friend of mine, and he was funny as hell.) She kept threatening to rip up my posters, and I finally said, "Look, you do realize this is all just a show, right?"

[Kash Flagg]

It really doesn't do much good anyways, and you come off looking like either an asshole or someone with no life.

[Jim Stansel]

At the airport i work at, the diner girls are total marks, i love just riling them up by telling them how amazing randy orton is, or how undertaker must have tapped at breaking point. I let them have their belief and just play devils advocate, its rather fun.

[thuschongswing]

Every damn chance I get, because if I'm not having fun, nobody's having fun.


Seriously, though, I don't do that shit, or at least, I don't intentionally do it. :-\

[Thrillho]

I wouldn't do that ever, because I'm not a c***.

(Sorry, no other way to say it.)

[Franchise]

Firstly, if it's someone under the age of 16 or so, I would never break kayfabe, and even play into the fact that what they're seeing may be real.

If they're adults? It depends on my relationship to them. If it was just some random person, I probably wouldn't say anything unless they asked. But here's an example...I'm currently training, and when I told my girlfriend's mother about it, she started asking questions about it and it dawned on me that she still thought wrestling wasn't a work, not that she was a fan anyway. I told her about how everything is predetermined, scripted, etc etc. But if it was just someone I met on the street, and they started talking about how bad Cena beat Big Show last week? I'd let it slide.