Through all the world, there is the dynamic tension of opposites: light and dark, good and evil, Batman and Bruce Wayne, water and whiskey. Everything is, to an extent, a product of its equal opposite. In pro wrestling, that conflict is at the heart of the industry's self-definition: is it a sport or is it entertainment? It has always vascillated, pendulum-like, between the two. The current trend of celebrity guest hosts on RAW dramatically illuminates that undulation.
The glitteratti have always been a part of sports; the events of the day are where the 'it' crowd want to see and be seen. But primarily, they have been a sideshow, passsamenterie to the occassion's true raison d'tre. With the guest host role, they move into the spotlight and clearly shift the pendlum towards the realm of entertainment. The powers that rule the WWE cosmos have declared that they broaden the audience and raise ratings. Doubtless, there are statistics to prove this. But statistics, like lawyers, often curve the truth. Perhaps they do indeed broaden the demographic WWE already dominates, but I'm a bit skeptical of the A-listers pulling in die-hard sports fans.
When you look at the popularity of MMA, it is hard to justify a hypothesis that WWE can go far wrong by emulating that genre to a degree. What MMA garners from all corners is respect. And that is consistently upheld by the sports' trustees. WWE, in contrast, has the tendency to be treated as a circus due to the outcome being pre-determined, especially beyond its own core circle of performers and fans. I don't think it deserves that lack of respect. The talent works too hard for that to be their just reward. Yet, by pulling in Hollywood, WWE invites that disprespect. So much in Hollywood is chimera and while success doesn't come easily, it is a different kind of success than that acheived by the kind of dedication a sport like MMA demands. Bright-lighters who brush the edges of WWE and come away unscathed are just as likely to poke fun at the industry if it makes them appear in a better light to their audience. I haven't often observed them being ambassadors for the industry. While WWE offers Hollywood a fairly safe environment in which to appear bada$$, doing so is a slap in the face to those who try to communicate the heart of the sport - the balls, the blood, the sacrifice involved - to those who only access it peripherally. It appears that one can walk in off the street, hop in the ring and survive. It makes an art form appear kindergarten-simple. It is the old Martha Stewart principle of "yes, you too, without any training or sweat, can do it as good as the pros." Newsflash minions: you can't. If it appears that way, its because you're watching someone good do it, or working with them. While that principle may generate sales, it is also a backhanded stab at the industry because it undermines the respect that is so hard to generate. And it slams the door in the face of the sports fans I think WWE could attract if it didn't play the very role of soap opera circus it is often seen as.
WWE will never be purely either sport or entertainment; it will always intrinsically be the unity of both. And that unity will always be achieved by the vascillation of the pendulum. The question is to what extent will it do so. I prefer my wrestling a little balder. I prefer the floor a little dustier, gum stuck under the seats and a few broken tiles to the gloss and glare. I prefer wrestling as sport, to shine over wrestling as entertainment. Not to say that entertainment has to be eradicated; I want it there. I just like it as subtext, rather than the main theme. I'm happier when the pendulum swings back the other way just a bit more than it is now. I'm happier when WWE showcases the ample athleticism of their talent, asks its fans to appreciate the more subtle shadings, the physical diffculty of the performance, combined with the story told in the ring. I'm happier when this thing I love reaches for a little respect. What say you, WWE? Can we shoot whiskey for a change? This round's on me.
(c) 2009 B.E.