10 Biggest Mainstream Misconceptions About Pro Wrestling
2. It Doesn't Matter If You Get Something Wrong. It's Only Wrestling.
This problem is not limited to wrestling. It probably goes on with any niche entertainment product that you may be a fan of. So if you're a hardcore fan of anime or comic books or whatever, you probably notice this a lot, too. Wrestling, however, because it's "fake," probably gets it the worst. Mick Foley famously recounted in his second book dealing with all sorts of reporters who routinely got things wrong, most famously including Margaret Carlson calling The Rock an "anti-white skinhead." He also wrote about appearing on ABC's 20/20 newsmagazine show and having his comments edited out of context to show him endorsing ultra-violent backyard wrestling, only to be shocked that he couldn't take legal action. See, in the above clip, Foley claims to have been shown super tame backyard wrestling, only for his approving comments to be used after a clip of the ultraviolent stuff. It's not uncommon to see newspapers interview people who either never wrestled or had short independent careers, only to take them at their word that they were international superstars. It was one thing that this happened from time to time in the early '90s, like when the fake Gorgeous George died, but in the internet age, it's inexcusable. Once, a Montana newspaper writer did a follow-up piece where she made fun of the wrestling fans who politely explained that she got conned by the subject of the article. Why? It's just wrestling.
Formerly the site manager of Cageside Seats and the WWE Team Leader at Bleacher Report, David Bixenspan has been writing professionally about WWE, UFC, and other pop culture since 2009. He's currently WhatCulture's U.S. Editor and also serves as the lead writer of Figure Four Weekly and a monthly contributor to Fighting Spirit Magazine.
This problem is not limited to wrestling. It probably goes on with any niche entertainment product that you may be a fan of. So if you're a hardcore fan of anime or comic books or whatever, you probably notice this a lot, too. Wrestling, however, because it's "fake," probably gets it the worst. Mick Foley famously recounted in his second book dealing with all sorts of reporters who routinely got things wrong, most famously including Margaret Carlson calling The Rock an "anti-white skinhead." He also wrote about appearing on ABC's 20/20 newsmagazine show and having his comments edited out of context to show him endorsing ultra-violent backyard wrestling, only to be shocked that he couldn't take legal action. See, in the above clip, Foley claims to have been shown super tame backyard wrestling, only for his approving comments to be used after a clip of the ultraviolent stuff. It's not uncommon to see newspapers interview people who either never wrestled or had short independent careers, only to take them at their word that they were international superstars. It was one thing that this happened from time to time in the early '90s, like when the fake Gorgeous George died, but in the internet age, it's inexcusable. Once, a Montana newspaper writer did a follow-up piece where she made fun of the wrestling fans who politely explained that she got conned by the subject of the article. Why? It's just wrestling.