Professional Wrestling - That's Entertainment? In what All-American sport can skin-tight spandex be worn and women flaunt giant biceps, while brandishing names such as Disco Inferno or Manna the Headhunter and still are adored by a mass audience? Why, in wrestling, of course. The dramatically choreographed sport entertains an audience of violence-starved fans who covet moves, such as the coined "People's Elbow". In fact, wrestling rises emotion from almost every viewer the industry draws in. Whether the emotion is intrigue, or pure disgust, this form of entertainment relies on the audiences' reactions, nonetheless. In this day and age, an industry has been built based on wrestling as a revolutionary form of mass culture entertainment. Polan explains how mass culture is essentially the regime of content, theme, the formulaic regularity of simple explanatory myths, an art tied to the gives of an everyday world (169). Even though some individuals may have reserve to whether wrestling is art or not, the sport certainly "finds an emotion resonance in the genre's audience" (Polan 167). Wrestling's main motive is to reach a large-scale audience, and the sport relies on a predictable audience and appealing, symbolic entertainment. Truly, without the hundreds of fans that swear allegiance to wrestling, there simply would be no sport. The wrestlers go about entertaining the masses with outrageous matches and just a tough of cheesy drama. As proof of this, Putterman states: Most sports begin as games that the press and public then overlay with their own wish-fulfillment fantasies in order to turn the game into melodrama. Wrestling begins with the situation and characters of melodrama and then, through our devices, turns them into a game (189). Just imagine a rival wrestler calling out a demand of the favorite wrestler. Perhaps this is a challenge for the world title. The entire narrative that pursues causes a conflict between the wrestlers, thus a match ensues to declare the champion. Of course, these contrasting views are merely role-playing on the part of the wrestlers, but this drama grabs and twists the emotion of the audience. In fact, this is a form of manipulation the crowd to empower a certain wrestler, or group of wrestlers. Thus, the wrestlers and the industry can then decide exactly how to keep the fans hooked to the sport, as well as attract new viewers. Clearly stated, wrestling is a play off the emotion of the audience to form the actual sport of wrestling. Along with this, wrestling appeals to a mass audience to form a foundation for the sport. One may question the authenticity of the actual match moves. And if they are fake, one may wonder who wants to watch that? The World Wrestling Federation, or WWF, presumably choreographs the moves and drama prior to the show. Yet, the matches are designed exclusively to entertain the masses. The audience always yearns for the mishap, or an unexpected blurb of mayhem to excite a wrestling match. After all, wrestling is designed to please the audiences' eyes, but it is still a dangerous sport and accidents do occur. For example, Stone Cold Austin fractured his backbone in a match when the "Power Bomb" was performed. This put Austin out of wrestling for several moths, yet he returned promptly to the WWF after he healed. In parallel, such a congregation exists known as the Extreme Championship Wrestlers, or ECW. Even though these moves are choreographed they contain a different breed of entertainment. In this form of wrestling rules fail to exist, anything goes, and the bloodshed is real. Just one example of the ECW match includes using barbed wire wrapped clubs to fight. Indeed, this is harsh and perhaps insane. However, the ECW and WWF are similar in their quest to produce extreme entertainment for the audience and they do not fail. Therefore, the audience wishes to see violence and action, which is exactly what they are served by the entertainers. The wrestling industry realizes when the audience receives what they want; they stay hooked to the game. All of the moves and pain provide the desire to entertain and be entertained. Yet, the audience does not entirely rule wrestling, for the sport captivates its fans with deeper icons. Ironically, wrestling is a metaphor of a society and its government only blown a bit out of proportion. For example, who can deny the dictatorship of the favored wrestler? The "particular favorites will no doubt relate to your own individual style and taste", but the entertainers must lure the audience to their side (Putterman 192). When the leading wrestler has gained the favor of the majority of the crowd, he is then chosen to rule over the audience and the wrestlers. As in actual society, other wrestlers who scheme to steal the spotlight for their own, constantly threaten the leader's reign. Clearly, this is an idealized form of power and government. However, though mostly men participate in wrestling, males are not the only symbol of dominance in the sport. Over the years, women have graced wrestling with their performances. Such a group of dominant women were the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, or GLOW, who set a path for all female wrestlers known today. Within GLOW, the symbolic and ever-constant battle of good and evil exists in wrestling. As Putterman explains the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling as split into two opposing groups: The 'good girls' are brave and tough and fair; they play by the rules and rely on the referee to maintain order. The bad girls bring their favorite weapons into the ring (everything from billy clubs and nunchaku to spears and buzz saws), backbite, rabbit punch, throw sand, and use black magic. Victory is the only form of honor for the bad girls and the infliction of pain is its own reward. But the way that all of this is played out constitutes one of the most complex and subversive expressions of good vs. bad morality portrayed in popular culture...(190). Yet another symbol of wrestling is within the wrestlers themselves or the hard bodies. Wrestling is a sport that requires a sleek, strong body to be a champion. Of course, viewers see their own image in the form of the perfect body. Thus, the male and female audience relate to the fantasy of a perfect body. On the surface, wrestling creates "a world of unending schoolyard arguments between characters who are simultaneously representing interpersonal, national, and international attitudes", but symbolizes so much more (Putterman 194). Clearly, wrestling is in existence for the show business, but relies on a mass audience to create the sport of wrestling. The money and fame come merely as seconds in wrestling, for the audience must be entertained. Thus, the wrestling industry's ability to bend the audiences' sediments with every move is a raw example of mass culture entertainment. There is no doubt that wrestling is effective in controlling its audience, for it consists of all the elements that embody mass entertainment. Do not let the acronyms fool you, for wrestling is an up-front form of mass entertainment that has no shame and does not try to hide what the sport is all about. So, keep watching, continue to be entertained, even attend a match, and remember that the sweaty, emotion soaked crowd is much more unpredictable than the actual match. That's the effects of entertainment, baby. Danielle Marks is the author of this essay. Please do not use any part of this without her permission.
There can be no question that sport and athletes seem to be considered less than worthy subjects for writers of serious fiction, an odd fact considering how deeply ingrained in North American culture sport is, and how obviously and passionately North Americans care about it as participants and spectators. In this society of diverse peoples of greatly varying interests, tastes, and beliefs, no experience is as universal as playing or watching sports, and so it is simply perplexing how little adult fiction is written on the subject, not to mention how lightly regarded that little which is written seems to be. It should all be quite to the contrary; that our fascination and familiarity with sport makes it a most advantageous subject for the skilled writer of fiction is amply demonstrated by Mark Harris.
The more deaths that were taken place within the industry, the more the industry kept being looked at by the media. The media began to get ahold of medical reports from doctors stating the cause of deaths and how many wrestlers have died from it. Swartz stated “ at least 65 wrestlers died in that time, 25 from heart attacks or other coronary problems -- an extraordinarily high rate for people that young, medical officials say”(Behind fun façade…). Once this all became public to the world wrestling promoters and those who were in high position of power began to take action. It took a high number of tragedies for the company to realize the difference between right from wrong and to understand that the wrestlers are human being as well and do also have a health
We can see from many other James Bond films that, he actually is a man
Romeo and Juliet at the end of the book both die because they are foolish. When Balthasar comes into the last scene they all get along including the Montagues and Capulets. The story is ended. When Juliet sacrificed her life for Romeo it was dumb because she could have stayed alive and find another guy.
Coakley, J. J., & Donnelly, P. (2007). Violence in Sports . Sports in society: issues & controversies (9th ed., pp. 198-199). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
In the end, the narrator shows Mr. Darcy’s metamorphosis from a menacing, prideful man to a kindhearted, gentle man. Mr. Darcy shows Elizabeth a different, caring side to him and apologizes profusely for his former grievances. After Mr. Darcy concludes that he has, “never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her,” (Austen. 38) he realizes he is flawed and shows willingness to change himself and, in turn, proves he will do anything for the love of Elizabeth.
In fact, the introduction of new technological entertainment has served as a gateway for the new generation of athlete culture: video games. As a result of the growth of video games, Esports (short for ‘Electronic Sports’) is slowly being integrated into athlete culture worldwide through its spectacular foundations, overwhelming popularity, vast prize pools, and recognition by official authorities. The birth of Esports can contribute most of its discovery to its original roots from the 19th century era (Bellis). To understand the next generation of athlete culture, Esports, it is necessary for individuals to understand the beginnings of the new breed. During the 19th century era video games were often overlooked due to its funky nature, however, the introduction of new technology that allowed individuals to manipulate and control objects was appealing to some (Bellis).
Reality television provides the dance world with a negative connotation because it supplements an air of commercialism. Choreographers may undergo a need to “water down” their routines to entertain the audience so they would understand. “I definitely always go for creative and artistic-but I’m very much aware of our audience, too, so I don’t go to the point where it’s just so internal that they wouldn’t get it,” stated Mia Michaels, a choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance, (The Real Deal N.P). The dancers and choreographers must remember that it is not a concert dance venue; their obligation makes it so the audience is able to relate to the performance. Michaels went on to say, “We’re spoon feeding people who don’t dance. Give them too much all at once, they won’t get it,” (The Real Deal N.P). Commercialism has also affected how the dancers portray themselves. Sure the audience wants to watch a passionate dancer, but “the portrait of a dancer that emerg...
Female athletes, unlike males, are not always portrayed exclusively as performance athletes, instead attention is placed on sex appeal usually overshadowing their on-field accomplishments. Unfortunately female sports, like male sports, are directed primarily to a male audience, the media commonly use marketing techniques which involve sexualisation of the female bodies under a male gaze (Bremner, 2002). The idea that “sex sells” is used to generate viewers and followers of female sport.
Wrestling is more than just a sport; it is a way of life. And for those who enjoy its opportunities, it is something that takes the mind off of all of life’s troubling times, and puts one man against another to get their hand raised. Competition makes everything evolve, and there is no other sport that epitomizes what competition truly is. Wrestling spans the entire globe, and although it incorporates several different styles and many National and World events, remains overlooked by most.
Is that something that you think is intrinsic to the industry, is that something that's learned? Why do you think wrestlers, there's exceptions to the rule of course, seem to get that better than other professional athletes?
yet only light of possible success. Despite the feasibility of fame and wealth, middle and upper class men “don’t mind professional baseball and football, but to be labeled a ‘prizefighter’ is something they can’t quite. swallow”(237). In opposition to my current beliefs, Elliot J. Gorn, the author of The Manly Art, believes that “boxers are victims of racial and class discrimination”. discrimination, that the ring encourages violence, and that pugilism appeals.
This entertainment draws the audience in and keeps them on the edges of their seats for the whole movie as they worry about what will happened next. An example of this is Turing's forever changing and developing friendships with his co-workers. Hugh Alexander is frustrated with Turing's "stupid machine" and tensions rise turning words into actions which lead in Alexander punching Turing in the face. This rise in tone and tension mixed with a punch to the face and a few objects thrown around form heart racing entertainment for the audience. All of this happens because the protagonist is seen in conflict which makes the film more entertaining and appealing to the audience.
While Americans watch these shows, it seems that the show is real life, but in reality, no pun intended, before the show is even filmed, it’s written, edited, and produced (Breyer 21). Writers humiliate and degrade people just for the plot of the show, making their private lives public (Breyer 16). One question that viewers ask is, “Is Reality Television really real?” One can think so, but in the long run, it is really not. A great example of this is World Wrestling Entertainment, also known as the WWE.
Although female bodybuilding is considered a sport, it means much more than that. Female bodybuilding is a way for thousands of women of all ages to express themselves and be unique. These women explore no only the limits of their own bodies but push their mental strength and determination to the limit. Even if the competitions went away, there would still be members of the subculture pushing to be the best they could be. The culture has its own family that makes the members feel like they are part of something. It can truly empower an individual, knowing they have complete control over his or her body by exerting extreme levels of discipline and dedication to achieve a goal. This subculture also had to try and resist the ideals of society’s conceptualization of a perfect woman.