Silly, Scripted, and Dull: Pro Wrestling in a Nutshell?

I’d far rather watch high school wrestling than the silly, scripted presentation euphemistically call professional “wrestling.” It’s a show, a movie, theater, not a sport—and it’s dull.-Professor Emerson

I have heard it all before, probably a million times at the very least.

Pro Wrestling is "fake." Pro Wrestling is "silly." Pro Wrestling is "scripted male dominated soap opera."

Newsflash people, pro wrestling is constantly the #1 rated cable show on television today.

Is pro wrestling scripted? Yes. It would be foolish for me to say otherwise at this point. My major "pet peeve" with the wrestling business today is the people in charge continually try to insult the intelligence of the viewer by passing the show off as legitimate. Sure, the action in the ring has to be taken as legitimate, or else the show loses all focus and meaning. I am talking about the dialogue, how the performers talk often comes off as corny and highly unlike what the ordinary person would say in a heated "fight" with a "rival." I want the dialogue to put the viewer on the edge of their seat; it is a television show with the point being to entertain the viewer by any means necessary. The story lines need to deal with real life issues that the casual and "smart" (the ones that know the inner workings of the business) fan can relate to, without being insulted by the "grade-school content" that lies within them.

My job as a wrestling television writer (my dream job since I was 12 years-old) is to make sure as many eyes are watching the show as humanly possible. My idea of a professional wrestling television show would be much different than the current product being shown by the WWE. My brand of television would be edgy, full of crafty, intelligent dialogue, plot twists aplenty, and exciting in-ring action that would be far from DULL.

Aside from the entertainment of a pro wrestling show, the life of a pro wrestler is far from easy. People often debate if pro wrestling is a sport or not,and regardless of personal opinion, it must be noted that the pain and injuries of being inside that ring 250 days a year takes an undeniable toll on the human body. As recently seen with the tragic death of Chris Beniot and family, the pro wrestling business has a dark underbelly that is filled with drugs, injuries (mainly concussions that led to brain deterioration, which seemingly caused Beniot to snap,) and greed.

Despite all the skeletons looming in the closet, Pro Wrestling will always be a business I love and admire. Something about being inside the arena during a show has me hooked, borderline obsessed. The combination of glitz, glamor, pageantry, showmanship, and charisma drives something inside me that gets the adrenaline going to the point of near heart pumping insanity.

Despite all of its recent issues, pro wrestling is something I will always be proud to be apart of. I appreciate the athletes who risk their bodies every time out for the sake of entertaining the fans. Knowing everything I do about the wrestling business, it is hard for me to consider anything "fake" about what these men and women do in the ring 250 nights a year. The ring itself, being made of solid wood and metal, with little padding provides almost no support to an aching WWE Superstar that is working on the back-end of a 10 day cross country road trip. Regardless of how you feel about pro wrestling, due credit has to be given to these gutsy performers that exhibit an uncanny work ethic that gives instant credibility to this "fake" sport.

To the casual critic, pro wrestling may come off as "silly," "scripted," or "dull." But for the people like me, who have an unconditional passion for this "sport-entertainment" industry that is only merely the tip of the iceberg in an industry where there is so much more than what meets the "un-trained" eye.