Bits about the Brits
By Scott Keith on January 21, 2019
Hi Scott.
I have a couple of questions, both vaguely related to old school British wrestling, but not really requiring any previous knowledge about it. One opinion, one factual.
I'll Start with the opinion one first.
Back in the days of World of Sport on UK TV, the wrestling would come on and you'd get a match, straight off the bat. It was one guy / team vs another. There was no background story for the most part, occasionally you'd get that it was a qualifier or part of a tournament, or a re-match, but that was it. Then you'd get a second match and sometimes a third. Even more occasionally, you'd get a quick promo from the people in the next match.
Basically, it was a wrestling show, you got wrestling. No backstage segments, just in ring action.
My question is, in 2019, and not just in the UK, anywhere, would this type of show work? Would there be an audience for it?
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And the second question and I am going to use a term that I hate.
When was it public knowledge that wrestling was "fake"?
The usually given answer as far as I'm aware is when Vince McMahon admitted it in front of the Athletic Commission in 1989.
However, back to Britain again. There was a show in the early 80s called Auf Wierdersehen Pet about a group of brick layers thrown together on a building site (really good show, would recommend to anyone).
In an episode of series 2, Neville (from Newcastle upon Tyne, coincidently, and played by actor Kevin Whatley) asks Bomber (played by actual wrestler turned actor Pat Roach), "I thought all that wrestling was put up?
This was on prime time national TV in 1986, three years before Vince. I appreciate Vince admitting it is talking to a larger audience and obviously some people would have known before these years, but when was the "secret" well and truly out?
Many thanks for your time, love the Blog.
Answer #1: No, it would not work. The toothpaste is out of that tube and shan't be squozen back in.
Answer #2: The narrative of Vince somehow exposing the business in 1989 and BLOWING THE MINDS of everyone in America is up there with the smoky halls nonsense and the DX tank winning the ratings war. If I might slip into the British frame of mind for a moment, major newspapers were "taking the piss" out of wrestling all the way back at the turn of the century, when people were supposedly duped into thinking wrestling was real by super-intelligent promoters. Yes, there was always your share of grannies and children who thought the heels were really hitting Dusty Rhodes with chairs, but for the most part people aren't stupid. They knew what they were watching was an predetermined exhibition for entertainment purposes only, like a movie or a federal election. The "secret" was out long before any of us was even born, and that includes Vince himself.
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