Ric Flair on Wrestling Fans Who Use Wrestling Terminology

Description

Let’s face it; if you’re reading this website, you are very likely a “smart mark” (a fan of professional wrestling who is aware that the matches are scripted but enjoys them nonetheless). Gone are the days of protecting kayfabe. With the advent of social media, podcasts, and easier access to dirt sheets, the line between what used to be discussed among those on the inside and the rest of the world has blurred. Due to the business’s more open nature today, fans know how matches work and how the business operates. Back in 2004, however, professional wrestling was still evolving. The internet was growing as a space for fan discussion, and dirt sheet culture was beginning to seep into mainstream fandom. During this time, Ric Flair shared some strong words in an interview with Australian Sports Entertainment about the original author of his first book and the Internet Wrestling Community, in part, for using wrestling terminology and for talking like they are on the inside. Flair was never shy about speaking his mind, and his frustration was directed not just at fans but at the wrestlers themselves, who, in his view, were encouraging the very behavior he found troubling. For a man who built his career on the mystique of the business, the erosion of that mystique clearly struck a nerve. With the changing nature of the business and Ric having once hosted his own podcast, The Ric Flair Show, we do wonder whether he feels the same way he did years ago.