Professional Wrestling example essay topic

Bret Hart: Wrestling with Shadows Written and Produced by Biography Special Interview 15 December, 1997 Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling Narr. Steve Allen Written and Produced by A&E Special Documentary A&E New York, New York 1 March, 1998 WCW / n Wo: Sting Unmasked Narr. Toni Shiavone Written by Eric Bischoff, Produced by Turner Broadcasting Co. Special Interview, Turner Entertainment Atlanta, Georgia 5 May 1998 Nagurski, B. "Professional Wrestling" Microsoft Encarta '99 (Electronic Version). Copyright INTO Corp. 1993-1998 PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING: SPORT OR ENTERTAINMENT? I. Introduction "Do you smell what the Rock is cook in?" shouts The Rock. This is the new crude face of professional wrestling.

But it wasn't always like this. Haven't you ever wondered about the real history of pro wrestling, not the 'history' of what happened last week on Raw or Nitro? People either watch it or don't, or some watch it and don't admit it. In any case, what is it really? Some call it a controlled riot with commercial breaks, a melodrama of mayhem, or a brawl with a referee. Whatever you call it, it's an old form of entertainment with plenty of ups and downs, but recently, it has become a part of mainstream America.

II. The Early Years Wrestling is as old as human history. It has always been used for dominance or competition. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Arabs all were great wrestlers. Plato's name literally means broad-shouldered, and he wrestled in his early days.

The Irish used it as a way to settle differences. In fact, it was Irish immigrants living in Vermont who brought the sport to America. Because of this, Vermont would produce the best wrestling talent for the next 50 years. Presidents like Washington, Taft, and Coolidge were all, and Abraham Lincoln was very much a professional wrestler. Professional wrestling began when veterans from the Civil War used the skills they had picked up in camp to grapple for money. Wrestling in the late 1890's was a very successful international sporting event.

It was the most popular spectator sport in the United States. It was seen as more scientific than boxing, and football and basketball hadn't appeared on the national level. The use of magazines and newspapers made it possible to have a world champion. Most of these champions were from Europe and Asia, so American promoters dreamed of having a title shot. A by the name of George Hakinschmit was, at the time, considered unbeatable in his native Russia. He had unknowingly set the stage for the showboating that goes on today, by having strong man competitions that he won and having connections to Hollywood types.

His matches with American Frank Gotch marked the high point and the end of pro wrestling as a real sport. Gotch used a crippling ankle lock (the same that The Worlds Most Dangerous Man Ken Shamrock uses) and got Hakinschmit to surrender the title. Hakinschmit then cried foul, saying Gotch had oiled his body before the match. Before the rematch, Gotch paid a German 'hooker' $5,000 to increase his chances of winning. No, not a hooker according to the present-day definition, but a dangerous wrestler who could cripple people in a heartbeat with illegal moves. When the German, Ed Santell, wrestled Hakinschmit in a friendly training match, Santell ravaged his opponent's knee with the ankle-lock.

When Hakinschmit got in the ring that night, he had no chance of winning. When it was over, the newspapers found out about Gotch's manipulations and the sport's popularity declined. People tired of going to a match at 7: 00 and leaving at 12: 00. They were just too long.

The public wanted more action. As a real sport, it's value was gone, but the entertainment value was just beginning. (A&E Unreal) Traveling carnivals were moving across the United States just after the Civil War, and with them they carried athletic or 'at's hows. These were people much more interested in making money than competition.

The promoter had the wrestlers wear garish outfits and gave them fake names and biographies to give it some story. Not only did they have regular matches, but they would challenge the audience. This was an easy way to win money, but occasionally they came up against a tough boy who knew how to wrestle. For a case like this, the car nis carried with them a hooker to make sure no money was lost. Hookers were the elite and the most feared men in pro wrestling.

Below them, there were the shooters. They were competent and good enough to hold their own, but were still learning the tricks to being pros. Lastly there were the journeymen, who had little or no real experience, and were usually ex-football players, boxers, or strongmen. They never wrestled challengers and were usually there to get slaughtered by the hookers. The wrestling divisions were divided up by people calling themselves promoters. Because of them, all true athletic competition was choked out of the sport.

People couldn't tell the difference between the real and the false, and because of this illusion, promoters seized a golden opportunity. The promoters made out a territory, named a champion, and then pu this title up for grabs. People were more interested when something was on the line, like a title, and it made for more profit. People like Ed 'Strangler' Lewis were able to take over any territory because they couldn't be beaten, and were avoided.

A threesome of two promoters and one wrestler, called the Goldust Trio, changed pro wrestling from a struggling racket into a big time event. They realized that matches needed to be shorter and more exciting, with more painful looking moves and holds, and keeping the title moving around was essential to keeping the fans interested. The trio met with other promoters, booked matches and decided who should win, and made up titles. In the late 1920's, the Goldust Trio had close to five hundred wrestlers under contract. Now, all matches were 'performances. ' (A&E, Unreal) The 30's and the Depression brought hard times on everyone, including pro wrestling.

To make matters worse, a spiteful promoter named Jack Pfeffer who had been pushed out of the business by his partners, leaked out all the secrets of pro wrestling to the sports writers. Almost overnight, gates fell to nearly nothing. The coup de grace came when a drunk news agent for the New York Post sent out all the results for the next day's matches. Wrestling had become a joke.

(A&E, Unreal) A few years after the Strangler's retirement, he wrestled an exhibition with a man named Lou Thesz. In him, Lewis saw all the elements that made Frank Gotch great. Within months, all his matches were sell-outs and he was considered unbeatable. "The man was awesome.

He ate, slept, thought, and talked wrestling", says Jerry 'The King " Lawler, another big star of the Sixties and Seventies. But even with a man of Thesz's caliber, wrestling still struggled for recognition. "Wrestling is a way to make money, be it contest or performance, and if the money was in the right spot, that is where the matches went", says Lou Thesz. Sometimes, wrestlers would lose to someone half their size and with no skill (that is still observed today). (A&E, Unreal) By the 1940's, wrestling was dead.

Newspapers no longer covered it. It took refuge in private clubs and promoters split into smaller territories. Radio, though it helped baseball and football, didn't help wrestling at all. (A&E, Unreal) . Rebirth Television was a godsend for pro wrestling. People would cram into a single house just because it had a TV set.

Lou Thesz became the most watched man in America. With athletes that seemed larger than life and could command the attention of the crowd, TV put wrestling on primetime. (A&E, Unreal) Promoters knew that wild personalities and biographies and grudges made the performance more interesting. Giving people attitudes, good or bad, got the crowd going. Heroes and villains were created, once again portraying the never-ending battle between good and evil. The good guys were called 'faces' and the bad guys 'heels.

' The legendary Killer Kowalski (who supposedly trained Chyna, the most handsome woman in pro wrestling) said "Make yourself noticeable. That's my whole career. Make the people notice you". Stars like Killer Kowalski, Verne Gagne, Gorgeous George, Classy FreddieBlassie, Hans Schmit, the Bruiser, The Crusher, The Beast, and Lou Thesz (though he was getting on in years) all became household names. Before TV, it took about six months to popularize a, with TV it took two weeks.

Many people, however, didn't have TV, so furniture and appliance stores would put their television sets out in the windows and set them to turn on at the time wrestling came on. People would crowd around the shops to watch and it really boosted a store's popularity when they did this. The first real 'superstar' was a trained psychologist and lowly journeyman named George Wagner. He was Gorgeous George, who everyone loved to hate, with his bleached golden locks, flashy robes, and disinfectant spray.

He wouldn't let anyone touch him, or he would say "Get your filthy hands off me!" Americans were all macho tough guys, and here was a prissy guy in a robe. He was a genius, using television for what it is, a form of advertising. Another bleached blonde that everyone loved to hate was the original Nature Boy, Buddy Rogers. He wasn't the best wrestler, but he was the best performer.

He always had a sun tan and a body the women loved, but the men hated. "There was really only one other Nature Boy, and that was Buddy Rogers", said Ric Flair, "If he was sitting here right now he'd tell you he was the best, as he told me when I first met him". Killer Kowalski was a heel who got his name when he accidentally tore off his opponents cauliflower ear with a knee drop off the top turn buckle. People started calling him an animal, a killer, and it stuck. One person even threw a sow's ear at him. Another heel was Hans Schmit, a Canadian portraying a German psycho, and they used him because it wasn't too long since World War II, and they played it for all it was worth.

Another old heel was King Kong, who always used to slap his opponents around. Young stars like Verne Gagne learned the hard way that those old guys in the ring fought dirty and would use cheap shots and hurt you. "There is a very fine line between kicking the be jesus out of someone, and not". says WWF owner Vince McMahon. Dusty Rhodes once said that he feared the old guys more than anyone else, because they pulled no punches. Real or " amateur' wrestling was becoming very hard to find. (web and Encarta '99, Wrestling) TV added a new element to the show, the interview. Here, you see a closeup of the wrestlers and they are allowed to speak their minds.

It was, and still is, mostly 'I'm gonna get so-and-so cause he cheated... ' Robert Remus, better known as Sergeant Slaughter, said. ".. the interview is probably seventy percent of how you make your money". (A&E, Unreal) IV. Mainstream In the late Fifties and early Sixties wrestling was pushed off the air by westerns and variety shows, but the promoters survived, and just packed up camp and went looking for new audiences. It was pushed back into territories and put on local television. Each region had its own belts and stars.

But the fans wanted more action. Gorilla Monsoon, president of WWF said", People wanna see a brawl, an all out war, and that is what was provided". It was a good idea to bring in chairs, tables, bats and anything else, because that made it seem more like a street fight. Fans no longer cared if the wrestler was good, only if he could wield a fold-out chair. And finally, television recognized that pro wrestling was really a passion play depicting the never-ending battle between good and evil (like the Undertaker and Hogan, for example). The heroes and villains changed depending on political, like the Communists and the Iranians.

When the Allatolahof Iran held the world hostage, along came the Iron Sheik from Iran, waving the flag and ripping on Americans 'savages. ' The fans wanted someone to slaughter this guy. So naturally the man for the job is Sgt. Slaughter, who is the stereotypical G.I., with the big chin, deep voice, and camouflage pants. "In the real world, we were nearly at war with Iran, and here we are playing it out in the ring!" exclaims Jerry Lawler. Similarly, when we were at war with Iraq, Sgt. Slaughter became a traitor, waving a picture of Saddam Hussein, and Hulk Hogan beat the tar out of him. The Canadian Bret Hart trash talked Americans and along came the Patriot to save the day.

This has been done many times. (Bret Hart; WAS, A&E, Unreal) Villains are much more popular these days. Stone Cold Steve Austin is extremely famous. He says, "I think the reason the fans like me, is because they like to see me give authority the finger, because they wish they could do it too. I'm just being myself, and I believe that makes the job easier, when you don't have to pretend".

When you shake Leonardo DiCaprio's hand, you are not shaking hands with Jack from Titanic. When you shake hands with Scott Hall, it's the same Scott Hall inside and outside the ring. Promoters used to be the ones who determined the good from the bad, but now it is the fans. Years ago, Shawn Michaels would have been a big hero, but lately the fans just wanna see good guys beaten down.

(A&E, Unreal) Andre Rene Russ nof, better known as Andre the Giant, was the most captivating man in America in his day. He had no trouble getting attention from the fans. At maturity, he stood at 7 foot 4 inches and weighed around 500 pounds. He had about 16 more teeth than most of us. You could push a chicken egg through his rings. Andre's wrist was a foot around.

At one time he held the record for most beers consumed in a single sitting (114) and then going home and having wine with dinner. He was a very gentle giant, for he had learned at a young age that real violence was bad, especially from him. But when something annoyed him, there was trouble. Once, when he was rear-ended at a red light, he got out and turned the driver and his car upside down. And when wrestling, it would be very easy to get hurt if Andre was in a sour mood. Andre was in the right place at the right time, because professional wrestling was about to become huge.

(A&E, Andre) Wrestling had always been divided up into territories with promoters governing them. It was seen as near war to cross boundaries. That was changed in the 1970's when Vince McMahon Jr., bought his father's World Wide Wrestling Federation. He had plans to build a huge wrestling empire beyond his father's wildest dreams. He stated, "What Wanted to do was take the successful formula that my father used in the Northeast part of the U.S., which was his territory, and use it on a national, indeed a worldwide basis. Dad knew how to put on a show, and also knew what this business is all about, and this business was, and is, about entertainment".

McMahon, who is also a ringside commentator, used videotapes to expand his influence; videotape at that time being a new invention. He sent these videos all over the country, and really upset all the other promoters. His dad finally called him up and said", Vinny, what the hell are you doing now?" He also thinks his dad wouldn't have sold him the program had he known what hiss on had planned. Wrestling was back on television.

Videotape had resurrected it, and cable made it a network staple once again. "God bless cable", says WCW president Eric Bischoff. With pro wrestling taking up the airwaves, advertisers vied for spots during commercial breaks. The money gained here was used to attract the biggest stars from rival promotions. The other promoters eventually went out of business or joined with him, with the exception of WCW. Vince then set his eyes on a man named Teri Bale ia.

This was the man Mr. McMahon Sr. named Hulk Hogan, because of his size, comparable to that of the Incredible Hulk. It's doubtful he knew the difference between a wrist lock and a wristwatch, but he had astounding drawing ability. He had charisma, and became more than a wrestler. He became an American icon. "I always loved Hulk Hogan as a kid, and when I finally wrestled him, I was amazed at the energy he emitted and how every little thing he did brought the fans to their feet, "says Hulkamaniac Paul Wight. He was to wrestling what Muhammed Ali was to boxing.

Hogan was the classic good guy, and there wasn't anything you could hate about him (that has changed). Parents loved his ideals and the messages he sent out; eat right, study hard, don't do drugs, take your vitamins, etc. He discovered by accident what really could get attention: instead of body slamming a guy and doing another move, slam him and then look to the crowd and make them notice you. The fans loved it. Long-time rival Rowdy Roddy Piper said of Hogan, "He got all those cheers because I got all the boos". (web A&E, Unreal) The return of professional wrestling reached the high point at Wrestlemania, in front of 90,000 fans and many others on 'pay-per-view' (another idea McMahon cooked up), when the Immovable Object Andre the Giant met the Irresistible Force Hulk Hogan. Andre was hurting and knew his best days were behind him, but he was also very proud, and Hogan still didn't know if Andre would 'give him the honors' and let him win.

In the end, he did. Hogan had had the torch passed on to him, not given, but passed, because Andre realized Hogan was the future of professional wrestling. In the Eighties, America once again rediscovered pro wrestling. It was a trendy thing to do. In the early 90's, Vince McMahon got a phone call from Ted Turner. The billionaire said, "Guess what Vince?

I'm in the ' business!" Vince said, "Well that's great Ted. I'm in the entertainment business. Big difference". Over the years, Ted Turner reached into his deep pockets and attracted the biggest names over to his WCW.

Superstars like Ric Flair, Macho Man (King) Randy Savage, DDP, Lex Luger, The Ultimate Warrior, Diesel (Kevin Nash), Razor Ramon (Scott Hall), Bret Hart, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and the big one, Hulk 'Hollywood' Hogan. Vince was deeply worried and, while all his wrestlers were talented, they didn't have the experience that the others had. Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Kane, The Rock, Goldust, and Mankind all would have been big names anyway, but the others were second-string guys who were thrust intothe spotlight with very little experience. The WCW and WWF are the two main wrestling factions now, and their rivalry is as vicious as that of the stories the wrestlers play out.

McMahon has had to do more outlandish things to attract attention (many of which I would be expelled for mentioning), but his motto is 'here it is; take it or leave it. ' McMahon said on a Dateline interview, "I really don't like Ted Turner. We just don't see eye to eye". When Vince had lost almost everything, and Bret Hart was debating going to WCW after his contract was up, Hart wanted to leave the program on RAW in Montreal Canada by offering a truce to his opponent Shawn Michaels. Being Canadian, Hart didn't want to lose in front of his homeland.

But Vince, who Bret had always seen as a friend, paid the referee to do a fast 3-count and make Bret Hart lose. Many people saw what happened next, and it was very real. Hart spit on McMahon and tried to attack him. Later that night, off-camera, Hart did just that. It showed how desperate McMahon had become.

But, just in the last year or so, WWF's ratings have slowly risen, and McMahon has found the money to buy some stars from WCW, like Sexx, Steven Regal, and the Big Show Paul Wight, who is now the highest paid wrestler in the world next to Hogan. (A&E, Unreal) V. Women in Wrestling Women have been in wrestling since the days of the traveling carnivals. They usually could beat any man from the audience. But they never made superstar status. The women sometimes followed the male stars to the ring, and some would become wrestlers by turning on their 'masters' and beating them.

But even then, there were only about 6 female wrestlers. It died off until the mid to late Eighties, when women accompanied men to the ring, like Elizabeth and Randy Savage. A woman would interfere in the match to help her man, or act as a peacemaker to keep her wrestler from being hurt badly. Now, with silicon implants and no tan lines, the women act as a distraction to the opponent.

But the WWF has re-instated women's wrestling, and while it is just as theatrical, the women feel that men are looking at them more than at what they do. "The women don't watch us because they are jealous, and the men just play out lurid images in their minds", says Sable, a very popular female wrestler in the WWF (this coming from someone who has posed for Playboy). Some women, like Chyna, are out there for their real skills, for being strong and tall, and able to match any man out there. (A&E, Unreal) Today, wrestling is all performance, and the sport of Gotch is gone, and any resemblance is purely coincidental. Now, with high-flying moves and dangerous drops, mimicking violence often brings the real thing, and people do get hurt. "I could easily break the neck of any man out there, but he has a job to do, a family to feed, and I just try not to kill em.

It's a performance and the show must go on", said Paul Wight on the Morning Show. The holds they use can cause serious injury, but they don't do it, because the wrestler only looks as good as his opponent makes him. Nevertheless, they are the reason their chiropractors are so successful. (A&E, Unreal) So why do over 5 million people tune in to watch wrestling in a week? Because they want to see the dramatic reenactment of rituals, like belonging to a group that reflects who you are, like the n Wo, The Corporation, The Four Horsemen, or Ministry, and the sign language that goes along with it, of course. It's a soap opera, and just like one, issues are never resolved, or new ones develop.

(Dr. Gerald W. Morton, Wrestling to 'RasslinV. Conclusion Is wrestling fake? Well if we look at it as fake, we are judging it for trying to be something that it wasn't intended to be. It is drama. So is Shakespeare. Would we call his work fake?

No, because that word is irrelevant. It is said that a society can be judged by how it entertains itself. At least we aren't throwing Christians to the lions, and when we celebrate violence, it isn't real. Professional wrestling is only as real as the imagination allows. The father of professional wrestler Jeff Jarrett once said, "For those who believe, no explanation is needed. For those who don't, no explanation would do.".