10 Ways WWE Can Be THE Cool Wrestling Company Again
8. Calm Down, Dears
On virtually every episode of Monday Night RAW, Michael Cole suffers several conniption fits.
Everything is sold as if it is of monumental importance. Televised main events are huge. General Manager and Commissioner announcements are huge. There are two tones at the commentary booth; forced hysteria and careless composure. The words “TONIGHT!” and “LIVE!” are bellowed with such frequency that the intention of unmissable urgency manifests as pure desperation.
Some performers - most recently Kane - are hyped up far, far beyond their station as a means of making their eventual loss the biggest deal imaginable. It feels relentless at times - more frantic three hour sales pitch than immersive television show. The irony is that this pestering is alienating at best, comically OTT at worst. Carny bluster is ingrained into the DNA of pro wrestling, but there is a limit to it. Forced cool is at once a turnoff and suicide mission, in how profoundly the premise is undone. Nobody buys Kane as the 1997 vintage because WWE whitewashed history over the course of three roster-killing weeks.
Subtlety was never McMahon’s strong point - but it’s far from the only lifetime habit he needs to kick…