Pro Wrestling ??

[Airbrush]

Any fans of pro wresting out there?  Please explain it to me.  What are the basic rules?   I can't figure out the appeal.  It seems absurd and obviously fake.  How can you get excited about watching people pretend to try to hurt each other?

I'm no fan of boxing, mixed martial arts, or other contact sports that intend to hurt your opponent, either.  But at least they are real.  Maybe it is better that hurting others is fake. 

Edited February 6, 2020 by Airbrush

[zapatos]

You seem a bit obsessed with pro wrestling. It is just entertainment, and like all entertainment, it appeals to some but not all. Of more interest is why this particular form of entertainment bothers you so much.

[StringJunky]

It's a live form of soap, like the old Dallas or Dynasty, with the running theme being wrestling.

[Curious layman]

It's not a sport like boxing or MMA, it's entertainment based. I get the impression it's the 'characters' that people like - 'the Rock', Hulk Hogan etc.. a bit of escapism, no different than going to the theatre, just a lot more fun.

[Phi for All]

Struggling actors often wait tables. I always thought pro wrestling was what struggling stunt people did between movies.

[Prometheus]

It might be 'fake', but it requires a high level of athleticism, perhaps similar to that of a stunts person, and like that profession has some fatalities in its history.

[zapatos]

Really no different than going to the movies.

[Curious layman]

No different to the theatre, not the movies. It's just another form of entertainment.

The kids think it's real, and the parents know it's fake. Good guys against bad guys. Perfect family entertainment.

Each to their own, as they say.

And some good role models too i think. - the Rock being the most obvious one.

Edited February 6, 2020 by Curious layman

[iNow]

I don’t really watch but lots of old friends do. It’s commentary on culture. Live action comics commenting on politics and social trends. People get to root for the heal or the weakling or the good/bad guys based on their passions. It’s easy to find a character to relate to. A soap opera with athletic people and over the top characters. 

[Airbrush]

5 hours ago, Curious layman said:

No different to the theatre, not the movies. It's just another form of entertainment.

The kids think it's real, and the parents know it's fake. Good guys against bad guys. Perfect family entertainment.

It's funny how serious the announcers act.

Then at a certain age, fans of pro wrestling realize that is was all fake, like figuring out Santa Claus was fake?

How about the rules and the objectives.   Can anyone explain these?  Is it fair to inflict certain types of pain on the other (fake pain of course)? 

6 hours ago, Prometheus said:

It might be 'fake', but it requires a high level of athleticism, perhaps similar to that of a stunts person, and like that profession has some fatalities in its history.

That is true.  It is very difficult and dangerous to throw yourself around like that.  It requires hard work and practiced choreography.  I must admire the athleticism involved.  It is just toooo fake to take seriously, however, I like (almost) all kinds of sports.  That is one weird sport.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Airbrush

[zapatos]

7 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

How about the rules and the objectives.   Can anyone explain these?

Google is your friend.

Quote

The standard method of scoring is the "fall", which is accomplished by:

• Pinning the opponent's shoulders to the mat, typically for three seconds (though other times have been used)
• Forcing the opponent to submit
• Disqualification of the opponent
• The opponent remaining outside the ring for too long (countout)
• Knocking out or otherwise incapacitating the opponent

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_wrestling

[Airbrush]

On 2/6/2020 at 8:21 PM, zapatos said:

Google is your friend.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_wrestling

Thanks, I hadn't thought of that.

"The matches have predetermined outcomes to heighten entertainment value and all combative maneuvers are executed with the full cooperation of those involved and carefully performed in specific manners intended to lessen the "chance" of actual injury. These facts were once kept highly secret but are now publicly acknowledged by both performers and promotions. To promote and sustain the willing suspension of disbelief by maintaining an aura of verisimilitude, the performing company avoids discussing the true nature of the performance in official media...."

"Verisimilitude is the "lifelikeness" or believability of a work of fiction....meaning plausibility of a fictional work within the bounds of its own genre (so that, for example, characters regularly singing about their feelings is a believable action within the fictional universe of a musical)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verisimilitude_(fiction)

Does this remind anyone of the current state of US politics, "suspension of disbelief"? 

Edited February 13, 2020 by Airbrush