The Identity Politics of Wrestling?

[Curd]

I could post this in the "Discussion" section, but I'd much prefer this thread to be public. While Googling "Hollywood Hogan politics," I came across this academic article:
http://pcasacas.org/SiPC/21.3/may.htm

In a nutshell, it claims that most wrestling plot arcs roughly mirror the values conflict of class warfare, e.g. the "honest, hard-working man" versus the "privileged elite and swindlers." The author of the 1998 article cites Stone Cold vs. Vinny Mac, Goldberg vs. Hogan, and DDP vs. Raven as examples of values vs. values. Your thoughts?

[Jordan]

Art mirrors life

[Rammsteinmad]

It's kinda silly when you think about it. Here you've got Steve Austin, the biggest name on the planet, must be raking in at least a million a year, and here he is in the role of the 'underpriviledged', the 'working man' with a million-dollar bank account, taking it to his boss for being 'the boss', the 'suits' and the corporate sellouts.

Regardless of how I got there, if my boss made me a millionaire, and basically the biggest name on the planet, the last thing I'd feel inclined to do is beat him up on a weekly basis for being 'a coporate suit'.

[K.Smoke]

Great Topic and I completely agree as I have watched the changes first hand. When Patrotism is the issue we get topics concerning the flag and when gangs were the plague in this country WWE (though over shadowed by the NWO) Formed a multitude of gangs within the WWE. The only issue i never saw become a WWE issue is the issue of gays.

[Kane Knight]

It's kinda silly when you think about it. Here you've got Steve Austin, the biggest name on the planet, must be raking in at least a million a year, and here he is in the role of the 'underpriviledged', the 'working man' with a million-dollar bank account, taking it to his boss for being 'the boss', the 'suits' and the corporate sellouts.

Regardless of how I got there, if my boss made me a millionaire, and basically the biggest name on the planet, the last thing I'd feel inclined to do is beat him up on a weekly basis for being 'a coporate suit'.

Politics is full of that, though.

[Shisen Kopf]

Great Topic and I completely agree as I have watched the changes first hand. When Patrotism is the issue we get topics concerning the flag and when gangs were the plague in this country WWE (though over shadowed by the NWO) Formed a multitude of gangs within the WWE. The only issue i never saw become a WWE issue is the issue of gays.

Whatchu talkin bout Willis? They had billy and chuck and goldust acted all faggy when he was first around. So plus lenny and Lodi in wcw were all acting like a couple of homos.

[Keith]

There are somethings in life that you don't have to look into so much. Things in life that are simple, that you just take them for what they are, without putting so much thought into the "Why?".

And that's how I see wrestling. I just enjoy it for what it is. I see the storylines, follow those that interest me, and enjoy the end result (the match).

That's it. No reason to overanalyze. If I want to think about politics, class warfare, and the like, I'll watch CNN or something.

[Jordan]

Agreed Dr. Keith

[Mr. Nerfect]

It's kinda silly when you think about it. Here you've got Steve Austin, the biggest name on the planet, must be raking in at least a million a year, and here he is in the role of the 'underpriviledged', the 'working man' with a million-dollar bank account, taking it to his boss for being 'the boss', the 'suits' and the corporate sellouts.

Regardless of how I got there, if my boss made me a millionaire, and basically the biggest name on the planet, the last thing I'd feel inclined to do is beat him up on a weekly basis for being 'a coporate suit'.

I was thinking about this just the other week, actually. Wasn't The Ringmaster a Million Dollar Champion at one point? I'm not sure, but I remember reading somewhere that the Million Dollar Champion would actually receive $1,000,000 for winning the title -- or have I just created that in my head? If that were true, Stone Cold Steve Austin would have even been a kayfabe millionaire in WWE terms.

[K.Smoke]

Whatchu talkin bout Willis? They had billy and chuck and goldust acted all faggy when he was first around. So plus lenny and Lodi in wcw were all acting like a couple of homos.

They never made a issue out of it and noone has come out of the closet yet. I mean come on lets be real none of these guys are gay?

[Damndirty]

They never made a issue out of it and noone has come out of the closet yet. I mean come on lets be real none of these guys are gay?


The only ones that I am aware of truly being gay in real life, though I'm sure there's alot I overlooked, are Pat Patterson, Steve Lombardi, Kris Kanyon, Terry Garvin, and Orlando Jordan (bisexual, but considered half gay I guess).

[James Steele]

Whoa...Garvin and Brooklyn Brawler are gay?

[Damndirty]

Garvin is openly gay, and Brawler was Patterson's closet fuck-buddy.

[James Steele]

Wow...so who was the top?

[XL]

Had no clue about Brawler.

[XL]

Wow...so who was the top?
Brawler was very rarely on top. Except that time he was on top of HHH. :p

[Damndirty]

Brawler was taking it up the ass and then turned around to suck the shit off of Patterson's dick. Duggan puked when he seen it.