Is pro wrestling an under-appreciated or an over-appreciated art form?

[Little Johnny]

Quite unfortunate that the weekend Richard finally decides to go for broke with the wind-ups is the same one that a sex offender waltzes in and steals his thunder. What are the fucking chances*?

*Obviously higher on here than in most communities but you get my point.

[Kaz Hayashi]

20 hours ago, Richard said:

I agree with you to an extent, but I wouldn't plan my entire life around it. My own personal voyage has gravitated towards creating a family. I'm not prodding anyone that has been depressed and has found solace in their youth, that's fine. But I wouldn't measure my existence on what New Jack thought of Paul Heyman in 1999. Pro-Wrestling shouldn't be an extension of your existence past a certain age. 

Yet here you are, ignoring your family, posting on a wrestling forum, asking people to debate with you.

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Kaz Hayashi

[Undefeated Steak]

If art is considered dance (which it is) then I see no reason to discount wrestling. It's two performers working together to tell a story and that evokes emotion and connects with an audience who can interpret and enjoy what they're watching.

The problem is that the question is pointless. A 6-year old drawing a picture of a house could be considered art, so it's not really worthwhile to argue over whether or not wrestling is art.

Ultimately, it's just a form of entertainment. No different from cartoons, music, comic books, board games. Something people watch because for whatever reason they enjoy it.

FWIW, I will say that I believe many wrestlers don't get the credit outside the industry for the sheer talent they do have. What the likes of Jerry Lawler, Shawn Michaels etc could do on a good night takes every bit as much talent as a great dance or ballet routine would.

[Vamp]

Fuck this "is wrestling art" discussion, Strictly is great!

Personally I enjoy both for the same reasons and have been ridiculed for enjoying both by people who's lives are somehow affected by me enjoying things they don't like. Which worries me as I'm depressed, overweight, single and have a job I don't like and yet what I enjoy impacts them. This suggests to me that having a degree in a social science, having a family and success makes very little difference. But I'm here with a hug and kind words for anyone affected by these issues. 

I will say that I get a similar enjoyment from Strictly and wrestling and that they're not particularly different to me. Both have their best moments when they try and tell a story through a series of choreographed moments. In Strictly these stories are often (though not always) about love and in wrestling it's often hate. They're sometimes at their least enjoyable when its moves like show dances or spot fests.

The far bigger difference is that Strictly is actually a competition whereas wrestling is competitive. 

 

[Keith Houchen]

The difference being that dance works in harmony with the music.  You could say that wrestling works in harmony with the crowd when it's done right (Rock / Hogan being the best example) but the two are worlds apart. Maybe Carlos Acosta should turn to the audience and ask "Shall I?" before hitting a fouette and milking pops for his grand jete.

[Chest Rockwell]

I think you're stretching now. I can't see why that's a significant differentiator in terms of whether it's art or not. But I do think wrestling is much more like theatre than dance.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Chest Rockwell

[King Pitcos]

I have no interest in ballet and I don’t give a fuck about how good a ballet dancer is, and I don’t think anyone with no interest in pro wrestling should be obligated to give a fuck about how good a pro wrestler is. So it’s as appreciated as it should be.

[Tommy!]

If it is art it's abstract 

 

[Michael_3165]

Where did Richard go? 

[WyattSheepMask]

15 minutes ago, Michael_3165 said:

Where did Richard go? 

To get his Sociology Masters

[Keith Houchen]

1 hour ago, Chest Rockwell said:

But I do think wrestling is much more like theatre than dance.

Oh absolutely. As @Loki once said, it’s vaudeville, opium for the masses. 

[Loki]

Pro wrestling developed as a carnival attraction, and despite the  sophistication of the modern WWE it still works on the same principle.

Good wrestling uses physical movement to tell simple stories.  Good guy v bad guy, underdog v bully.  Regal's autobiography talks about using a ringer to persuade Joe Public they have a shot at beating the hooker in a fight.

 

 It's this co-opting of physical violence into a morality tale which makes it so fascinating.  Austin became the biggest star in the history of the biz when he allowed millions of downtrodden Americans to vicariously live the dream of hitting their boss.

Talking of wrestling as art frankly misses the point.  It's much more interesting than that.  There aren't that many performers in history who can connect with 80,000 plus people without saying a word the way Hogan, Flair or Cena can.

[CL Punk]

Quote

Pro-Wrestling shouldn't be an extension of your existence past a certain age.

Says who?

Why can't I enjoy pro-wrestling as an adult?

Please tell me what else I can't enjoy because I'm an adult...I can't watch Marvel movies, I can't read comics or godforbid play video games.

If enjoying these low brow art forms makes me a child, then I shall be childish...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPRx2gxMHkQ

[Tiki]

On 9/13/2019 at 10:23 PM, Richard said:

anyone that extracts any kind of emotional attachment to wrestling after a certain age hasn't lived. If you've gone through addictions, broken relationships, lost loved ones and been laid off work, you can take pro-wrestling or leave it. 

You're chatting pure shit.