Flair on "Kayfabe"

[cody]

I wrote a commentary on Flair's ideas about Kayfabe.
Go to www.codysteele.cjb.net , check it out and let's get some discussion going about it, either here or at my site.

Giver,
Cody

[Frank]

A very well written article, but some foods for thought. With a lot of indy wrestler websites, 95% of the readers are fellow workers. I hate to burst a lot of people's bubbles but why would someone not in the business read these websites. As for Flair he is dead on, and when I think of a worker that violates kayfabe the most, Lance Storm i the worst. His website is bullshit, just the other day someone asked him about ECW and he said it was his favorite place to work, well guess what he is in the WWE. He is also trying to be a heel but he supports a book club? Can you imagine growing up seeing Kamala the heel have a poetry group. Doesn't work and maybe because Lance thinks maintaining a website is more important than his career is the reason he is buried. Same with Matt Hardy's rather honest book, maybe that is why he is buried now. The point is when wrestlers are honest and disclose too much information it hurts the product. In closing Cody, is it more important getting shitty indy bookings (which i am sure at the end of the day you make no money)than actually protecting the business you grew up loving and now are lucky enough to be in. Same goes for all of the other workers that think having a live journal validates themselves as workers. Don't get me wrong, I am all for websites with pictures, video clips, bio, booking info and merchandise, but live journals definately add to the problem of destroying what is left of the business I once loved.

[cody]

Thanks for the response Frank.

I got some problems with what you said though.

"With a lot of indy wrestler websites, 95% of the readers are fellow workers. I hate to burst a lot of people's bubbles but why would someone not in the business read these websites."

I don't think this is necessarily true. I've gotten various responses from fans about my website and my insightful journals. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't know if you are a worker. If you AREN'T, then I guess you are placing yourself in that small 5% of fans that actually read websites. I do know that basically only workers RESPOND to me journals on my site, but that doesn't mean that it is only workers that see them. Like I said, I have gotten bookings from my journals, thus... it's not only workers that see them. Plus, I get numerous emails from fans about my site and upcoming shows, etc. To claim that only workers see my site is blatently wrong.

That being said ... I think your argument is somewhat incoherent. You say "live journals definately add to the problem of destroying what is left of the business I once loved." If live journals are mainly seen by workers only, how is this "destroying" the business. Like I said in my journal, I agree with a lot of what Flair had to say, however, based on your arguments, I can't agree with this claim.

"In closing Cody, is it more important getting shitty indy bookings (which i am sure at the end of the day you make no money)than actually protecting the business you grew up loving and now are lucky enough to be in."

The answer to this question is not as easy as you think it is. Why else would I be doing what I'm doing if I didn't enjoy doing "shitty indy bookings"? All I've done is work indies for the past 4 years. And no, I don't make much money ... but if getting "shitty" bookings isn't important, than what am I trying to "protect" by not doing live journals? Again, I think your argument is somewhat contradictory.

Now... I've been doing some thinking and I've realized that it's not only the workers (i.e. Matt Hardy and Lance Storm) that are breaking kayfabe, the entire WWE does it. Do you ever watch WWE Confidential. It's basically wrestling reality tv. No one is "in character." Thus, I don't think the WWE would agree with your claim that Lance Storm's book club hurts his heel-status. Do you own any recent WWE DVD's? Shawn Michaels "From the Vault"? Mick Foley's new box set? Both DVD's have the wrestlers commentating their own matches and explaining move for move what they are doing and why they are doing it! Michaels even comments on how long you should stay down for a double down!!! The WWE is condoning and making money off breaking kayfabe. It's becoming part of the business.

It is because of instances like these that make me realize the same conclusion I came to in my article ... I wish I worked in the age when kayfabe was alive in full force. But I don't. I now accept the breaking of kayfabe as part of the business. There are still certain kayfabe rules that I adhere to when on the road or at a show ... but all in all ... kayfabe has been broken. Vinny Mac shattered it.

Giver,
Cody

[Oh my god]

Hey Cody, mark out for yourself much?

Some of my insightfull live journals...says who man, all you do is kill the biz by exposing more insider terms and fill people in on the stuff Vince hasn't told them yet.

For shame Cody.