WWE Article in The Guardian (UK)

[catweazel4life]

Interesting.

"I have no idea what's going on in the dressing rooms," I say. "Why are we kept away?"

"We don't want outsiders back there," he says. "Back there is specifically for our very special fraternity. It's sort of a fraternal atmosphere, although it includes some women, and we don't want to give that away to people." He pauses and looks down into my eyes. "You've got to earn your way into it before you see what happens."

"Are we not allowed to see it," I ask, "because it's fantastically mysterious or because it's boring and disappointing?"

There is a silence. Kane thinks about this. "It might be a combination of the two, actually."

[Frank Zappa]

"It's Hacksaw Jim Duggan!" Joel yells suddenly.

"HIYO!" the wrestler yells.



I love that.

[Steveweiser]

Triple H is on the cover of the magazine this features in...

[angryfan]

Wait, when did Hacksaw become Ed McMahon? Will he start giving out gigantic checks that are stapled to 2X4s?

[King Rich]

We are nearing the end of our interview. Regal tells me about a day - 15 years ago - when Vince McMahon made a startling announcement on live television. "He stood up on stage and admitted that wrestling was fixed. He said, 'We're not going to insult your intelligence any more. It's fixed. It's a performance. It's entertainment. We decide in advance who's going to win the match.' "

Did this happen?? I've only been watching for 10 years, and like to think I'm pretty clued up about the goings-on before I started watching, but haven't heard about this

[Topher is Human]

Hmm, that's a pretty interesting read.

Also at the beginning the author comes off as the most narrow minded, typical "anti-wrestling" figure-head to walk the planet, and his entire grasp on EVERYTHING seems to be way off. But in the end he delivers with some really good words from Regal and Nowinski.

All in all a VERY good read and cheers for the post.

[angryfan]

The last line kinda made me chuckel. Being dumped by WWE is the worst thing that can happen to a wrestler? Left with nothing but backstreet wrestling clubs? Why do I picture Dixie Carter reading this, pausing for like thirty seconds and then yelling "hey...wait a minute!"?

[Topher is Human]

angryfan said:

The last line kinda made me chuckel. Being dumped by WWE is the worst thing that can happen to a wrestler? Left with nothing but backstreet wrestling clubs? Why do I picture Dixie Carter reading this, pausing for like thirty seconds and then yelling "hey...wait a minute!"?

I actually pictured her sitting perfectly still glaring at the article at her dining table as you see the sunfall/moonrise then moonfall/sunrise out the window before she snaps and rips it up.

[krill]

Very interesting from the Regal interview on.

[Joker]

I haven't finsihed reading it yet, bu the converstaion between intrepid interview man and John Morrison is cracking me up ...

Suddenly, the curtains in our little closet are flung open, and Joel and I gasp. We are face to face with the magnificent John Morrison. He poses for photographs with us. I get out my tape recorder. We begin.

"I very much like, but don't understand, your philosophy about the palace of wisdom," I say. "You say, 'Join me in the palace of wisdom or continue to be slaves to society.' What is the palace of wisdom?"

"Yeah, the palace of wisdom," Morrison nods. "That's vague. It could mean everything. It could mean nothing. To me, it means something."

He falls mysteriously silent.

"Can you elaborate a little?" I ask.

"Anybody's palace of wisdom is the top level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Self-actualisation. Whenever you're pursuing that what makes you happy, you're living in the palace of wisdom."

"Wow," Joel says.


Wow indeed!! lol ;D

[catweazel4life]

Bear in mind that Joel is the interviewer's 9 year-old son.

The bloke who wrote the piece - Jon Ronson - is a brilliant writer. Probably my favourite.

[Baixo Astral]

Yeah, Ronson is a truly tremendous writer.

[Kenny Brockelstein]

The Guardian needs to send Charlie Brooker to write an article about the next WrestleMania. I would love to read that.

[Loki]

kingrich said:

We are nearing the end of our interview. Regal tells me about a day - 15 years ago - when Vince McMahon made a startling announcement on live television. "He stood up on stage and admitted that wrestling was fixed. He said, 'We're not going to insult your intelligence any more. It's fixed. It's a performance. It's entertainment. We decide in advance who's going to win the match.' "

Did this happen?? I've only been watching for 10 years, and like to think I'm pretty clued up about the goings-on before I started watching, but haven't heard about this

I don't actually recall such thing happening around 1992-93...

When was it aired? IF it really happened

[azz0r]

A wrestler yells, "I spit in the face of people who aren't cool." Then he grabs his opponent by the chin, repeatedly smashes his face into the floor,


who don't want to be cool...you mean

[Steveweiser]

Bear in mind that the writer has very little experience in wrestling, he won't know all the catchphrases word for word.

[Linestra]

That was well worth the read.

[The Heff]

McMahon's stars of today include John Cena (currently recovering from a pectoral injury and so not on this tour) and the breathtakingly monstrous 7ft Kane.

Kane? If John Cena wasn't mentioned in this paragraph I would have said this was posted 10 years ago ... Nobody cares about Kane anymore. It's almost a Conway pop for him. Take away the mask, take away the character.

[Legion]

The reaction that Kane always gets and has always gotten says differently

[Cactus Jack]

Hmph...Morrison should have explained the Jim Morrison connection, instead of just rambling on in-character.