You watch pro wrestling? Don’t you know that stuff’s fake?

This is such an ignorant question that every wrestling fan has heard at least once in their lives (and probably a lot more). When it’s asked, it is said with much hostility and disgust towards the other person, as if they had no clue wrestling was a staged form of entertainment and that they were stupid for even watching. It makes you wonder if the fans of CSI think that show is real? With as many fans as the world of wrestling has, it is still generally looked down upon in society. Sure, a lot of the skits are awful, the acting is below sub-par level, and a lot of it generally does look fake. So how does a wrestling fan respond to such insulting criticism?

The answer, in a nutshell, is that they can’t. Wrestling is just wrestling. Is wrestling fake? Is the essence of the show good vs. evil? Yes. Are the results of the matches pre-planned? Yes. So, is wrestling fake? Sometimes. It’s as fake as you make it out to be.

Sure, we could debate whether wrestlers going through pain almost every day of their lives in scripted entertainment is fake or not. We could compare the WWE to the UFC (as most nay-sayers try to do) and say “this sport is real, this sport is fake.” But instead of that argument which most wrestling fans have been a part of, let’s look at the most important aspect of wrestling: The Fans.

Just as in any form of entertainment, pro wrestling would not exist without its fans. But who are these fans? As far as pure storylines go, fans are stereotypically people who cheer for the good guy and despise the bad guy. Sure, there is the occasional fan who prefers the villains, but most of the time the good guys are fan favorites. This is true with anything on television. The viewers watch their favorite TV shows so they can see the FBI agent defeat the criminal, or the nerd get even with the bully.

With that said, what happens when a villain becomes a good guy? What happens when the bad guy wants to turn a new leaf for the good? Do the fans reject this man’s new life choices? Do they punish him for all the past pain he’s caused? Does he need to earn the fans’ respect before gaining their cheers? No. He is a baby-face now. That means the fans will and have to cheer for him without thinking.

Wait a minute? You mean Randy Orton can handcuff Triple-H to the ropes and beat down on his wife and kiss her unconscious body, but since he tag-teams with John Cena that’s all ok now? Or Triple H and HBK can form DX, then break-up DX, then have a violent year long rivalry, and then reform DX, and no one remembers Shawn Michaels getting hit with a sledgehammer only a year earlier? Well, that may not be ok now, but wrestling fans seem to have no memory. If you are not a heel at the present moment, they will cheer. The past actions, wrestling ability, or personal history of the wrestler or of his character are meaningless in the fans’ point of view. If you stand for good, they will cheer for you and buy your t-shirts.

Is this a bad thing? Sometimes. Not always. A lot of wrestling fans like to watch the show without analyzing it. It’s fun to watch someone get beat down with a chair and get fake punched. Why? Because it just is. We don’t really know why. We don’t think about it. But to the outsider, this is why wrestling fans are idiotic.

So, who is the average wrestling fan? He is someone who looks for good to triumph over evil. He looks for his favorite wrestler to defeat the main villain in a fair way. But if he has to resort to violent tactics in order to complete his task, that’s ok. As long as he is working for the fans’ respect, he will get it without even trying. Pro Wrestling is a fantasy world.

There are two points of interest here: One: Wrestling fans are looked down upon by society for watching the sport. Two: Wrestling fans don’t do anything to contradict these arguments because they will not change their viewing habits.

So, is the outside world wrong for judging us for being blind fans even though we really are? Maybe not. But are the fans wrong for liking certain characters for no apparent reason? Maybe not. This is a discussion that could last awhile, depending on the parties involved.

The outside world hates wrestling. But what does the wrestling world do for defense? Essentially, nothing. The WWE can try to be more PG-friendly. They can make movies and cartoons for kids. But one thing will never change: Wrestling fans are not always the smartest people. This is the opinion of outsiders and sometimes as well as the insiders.

What does Mr. Andersen mean when he says “Pro wrestling is real…People are fake?” Well, that could be up for debate.

Don’t be Hypnotized.