Posted on 09/17/2012 6:51:11 PM PDT by EveningStar
Today, everyone knows that professional wrestling is a predetermined stage show -- Vince McMahon himself publicly admitted it 23 years ago. However, for most of the last century, wrestling fans believed every storyline and bit of pageantry as the God's honest truth, and if you made your living as a wrestler, it was your sworn duty to protect the illusion at all costs. Some went a little further than others, though. And some went a lot further ...
(Excerpt) Read more at cracked.com ...
"for most of the last century, wrestling fans believed every storyline and bit of pageantry as the God's honest truth"
This is quite a generalization. Pro wrestling has always had its share of marks, but nearly all the fans I met, knew it was fake. In fact, they liked it because it was fake. And this was during the kayfabe era - before Vince McMahon's public revelation. Incidentally, McMahon was not the first to go public on the true nature of pro wrestling.
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They looked at me in total astonishment and one guy said, "You're NUTS. Some of these guys are so mean they have to lower them into the ring in cages!"
I’m sure some will remember what happened to journalist John Stossel when he suggested that wrestling was just a show or fake (to paraphrase him) to a wrestler he was interviewing. The wrestler, whose name I forget but I’m sure others will remember, promptly boxed Stossel’s ears (causing serious injury) and threw him violently to the ground, exclaiming, and again I paraphrase, did that seem fake?
The story about George “The Animal” Steele reminded me of a gym teacher I had in elementary school in Chicago. I went to a wrestling match, the only one I ever attended in Chicago, and there he was! He had never mentioned his side job.
I sure hope that evil banker didn't foreclose on her mother's farm. I used to watch GLOW every week, just to make sure she was OK.
Wrestling is no more a fake than the Obama presidency!
The wrestler was a guy named "Dr. D" David Schultz (not to be confused with Philadelphia Flyers enforcer Dave Schultz from the 1970s.) Schultz was fired, and quickly faded into obscurity. Stossel sued the WWF (as it was known then) as well as Schultz. However, Stossel's attorneys soon decided against pursuing the lawsuit against David Schultz, because Schultz was already broke.
Stossel ended up suing the WWF and settled out of court for $425,000.
A friend told me of his experience as a child. He loved TV wrestling and his heros got into a knock down drag out with the bad guys!.
One day his dad had to go to OKC and they stopped at a cafe on the way. Inside were TWO of his wrestling heros. Suddenly in the door came two of the bad guys! OMG he thought! A war was about to break out!
Instead they greeted each other as long lost friends, ate together, one paid for the meals, and when they left one carried the bag for the other.
My friend, as an 8 year old child got his eyes opened and realized, WRESTLING WAS FAKE!
In the 1980s, a colleague went down to FL for business. While waiting for the airport shuttle, Hulk Hogan shows up for the shuttle, and would not break character.
I watched enough matches to see the wrestlers standing off in a corner after their match shooting the breeze. The fights in the stands were real though LOL.
I do remember one night some fans took things way too serious and stabbed either Whitey or Ron in the parking lot that night out in the parking lot. One rushed the other to the local hospital best I recall.
My father was a letter carrier and Black Jack Mulligan was on his route. He said that many times, Wahoo McDaniel was at Black Jack’s house (they were bitter enemies) working out.
This year, they are naming the high school stadium after Coach Jim Myers, who is in the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame.
Heels and faces always kept separate until the mid 80’s. Violation of the rule could get you fired.
I actually respect Ric Flair even more after reading that. To be the man, you’ve got to beat the plane. WOOOOOOO!!!
And Nikita Roloff and George Steele are mighty trolls.
I met Danny Hodge about 25 years ago He was selling siding for houses. I shook his hand and I swear there were muscles on his hand where I don’t have muscles!
I would have hated for him to put the squeeze on it.
I think Hulk is one of those guys where he’s like that in real life.
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