7 Completely Unnecessary Times WWE Keeps Kayfabe
1. In Real Life
This is probably the most accepted and understood way of keeping kayfabe outside the arena, but also seems like the most asinine. Wrestlers for the most part are expected to keep kayfabe in public 24 hours a day. They are WWE ambassadors outside the ring, and whether it's on the street, in an airport, or at a restaurant, they are still considered to be superstars.
In no other entertainment medium (movies, television, sports) is a performer still considered to be a performer when theyre no longer performing. If you run into a wrestler on the street or at a restaurant and want to talk to them, what name do you call them by? If you see Seth Rollins, do you call him Colby? And how will he react to you calling him Colby? Would he react at all if you called him Tyler (Rollins worked for years as Tyler Black on the independent scene)?
Some wrestlers see it as an insult to be called by their real name by people who don't know them personally; that it may be an attempt for the fans to show the wrestlers that they're in the know or on the inside. CM Punk seemed bemused on Colt Cabana's podcast as he pondered his transition into life as Phil Brooks after more than 10 years being CM Punk, and both men openly questioned whether he should be addressed as Phil or Punk out in public.
When the lights and cameras are on, they perform as characters that are either amplified versions of themselves or somebody different entirely. Who they are in the ring may not necessarily be who they are outside the ring. In public interaction, there should be an understanding between the wrestler and the fans that what happens on TV stays on TV, and the person is different from the character.