The WWF-ication of our Political Discourse

(Yes, that is an image of Stone Cold Steve Austin giving a ‘stunner’ to the future 45th President of the United States).

When I found out CNN was going to have an interview with Donald Trump, I wouldn’t even consider watching it, as Trump is a terrible one-on-one interviewer. For example, his recent interview with Tucker Carlson was so boring and full of his mundane drivel – I think I did my taxes at that time. However, once I heard it was a town hall with a live audience. I immediately said “Donald Trump, Live, in front of a crowd”! I was not missing that.

Donald Trump did not disappoint, from using his phrase “stupid people did this”, to pulling out receipts regarding January 6^th, doubling down on his claims, making fun of Bill Clinton’s checkered past, Joe Biden’s dementia, even calling Kaitlin Collins at the end of the Town Hall a “nasty person”. No one was safe that night. There are many compilations online – pick one and have a laugh. Having a laugh is exactly what you should do during a Live Trump Town Hall. Why? Because Trump, at his core, is an entertainer, he feeds off of conflict, wants to get the crowd riled up, and wants to make the anchor go against him — making the anchor the enemy.

“Donald Trump is the babyface of modern American politics, and the mainstream media/politicians are the heels of American politics.”

Donald Trump feeds off of crowd energy like a professional wrestler would. I mean, if I were to tell you before becoming President of the United States, Donald Trump was inducted into the WWF (WWE – I call it WWF still) Hall of Fame. It is true. To think that he was nominated to the WWF Hall of Fame in 2013 and three years later he would become the President of the United States – someone predicting this out loud would have to be committed to an institution. But it is probably the most rational take out there. Donald Trump is the babyface of modern American politics and Mainstream media/politicians are the heels of American politics. The similarities are striking too how Trump acts in front of a crowd, the reaction from the crowd, the reaction from the mainstream press, and his success in the political sphere. Many have attempted to draw political/presidential comparisons – thinking Joe Biden is the new FDR, Obama is like Kennedy, or Reagan is Teddy Roosevelt. Here is my comparison, and it’s not a political one. Donald Trump is the Stone Cold Steve Austin of politics.

Donald Trump riling up his base, with a demeanor like him is reminiscent of the time Stone Cold Steve Austin became the CEO of the WWF. Many have described Trump as a bull in a China shop when it came to his presidency – throwing all decorum out the window with an unorthodox attitude toward the position.

Now, a babyface is not a babyface without an excellent heel character to work off. This is what sells the angle to the audience in wrestling. As you noticed from the Stone Cold Steve Austin videos, Vince McMahon plays an excellent heel to Stone Cold Steve Austin’s babyface. At this time in the WWF, they were going through a transition – moving away from the All-American vision of Hulk Hogan to an edgier image with the Attitude Era.

What was the Attitude Era of Wrestling?

The Attitude Era is a term used to describe a period in professional wrestling that occurred primarily in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential and memorable eras in the history of wrestling. The Attitude Era was characterized by a shift in tone and presentation and a more mature and edgier content compared to previous eras. During this time, the WWF introduced storylines and characters that pushed the boundaries of traditional wrestling entertainment. The product became more risqué, and controversial, and often featured explicit language, adult themes, and violence. The Attitude Era targeted an older demographic and sought to cater to the audience’s changing tastes.

As the 90s became an edgier time with the growth of new age slasher films (Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer), heavier music (Korn, Limp Bizkit, Eminem, Kid Rock), and a general counterculture that was characterized by a rebellion against mainstream societal norms and values, often promoting alternative ideologies and lifestyles. From grunge music to the off-kilter Tarantino films, these counter-cultural movements of the 90s challenged the status quo, encouraged individuality, and sought to create alternative spaces and expressions.

This was at the heart of Attitude Era wrestling and matching the demographic. The era was exemplified by compelling storytelling and intricate plotlines that often blurred the lines between reality and fiction. It incorporated elements of shock value, unpredictable twists, and memorable moments – many of those moments involving Stone Cold Steve Austin and his rebellious anti-establishment persona. This is who Trump is, a rebel, an anti-establishment persona wheeling in manure to the elite offices while the power centers seethe at his boldness and general lack of decorum. But the crowd loved the anti-establishment thread, they loved Stone Cold, and they really hated Vince McMahon.

The Work of Mainstream Media, Trump, and Political Kayfabe.

You have seen some words in this piece so far and would probably only understand if you were in the depths of the wrestling scene. So, at this moment I will provide a brief glossary of terms to help you forward:

Angle	A planned storyline or plot that develops between wrestlers or groups of wrestlers, often involving a conflict or rivalry.
Babyface	Also known as a “face,” it refers to a wrestler who portrays a heroic or fan-favorite character, typically cheered by the audience.
Dusty finish	Coined by the late Dusty Rhodes, it refers to a finish or ending to a match that appears to resolve the conflict but is later reversed or nullified, often leading to a continued storyline.
Fallout show	A wrestling event or show that takes place after a major pay-per-view or significant storyline event, typically used to address the consequences and aftermath of the previous event.
False finish	A near fall or pinfall attempt in a match that is made to appear as if it could result in a victory, but ultimately the match continues.
Gimmick	The unique character, persona, or personality that a wrestler portrays, which often involves distinctive traits, costumes, or catchphrases.
Heat	The negative reaction or animosity generated by a wrestler, typically a heel, from the audience. Heat can be used to enhance the storytelling and make the audience emotionally invested in the match or storyline.
Heel	A wrestler who portrays a villainous or antagonist character, often generating boos and negative reactions from the audience.
Kayfabe	The portrayal of professional wrestling as a legitimate competition or a scripted storyline, maintaining the illusion that the events and characters are real.
Pop	The loud and enthusiastic reaction from the audience, usually in the form of cheers and applause, in response to an exciting or surprising moment in a match or storyline.
Work	Refers to any planned or scripted action in a wrestling match or storyline, as opposed to something happening organically or spontaneously. It includes moves, spots, and sequences that are performed to entertain the audience.

The wrestling lexicon is endless, I feel these definitions are important to understanding how our political landscape relates to this terminology. Take a moment and read these definitions, can you find some similarities to how our political system is acting similar? When I say ‘the work’ of the mainstream media, I’m referring to the planned and scripted action to entertain the audience. CNN knew exactly what they were doing when hosting that Trump Town Hall. They anticipated, and all but laid out, what the response was going to be from the talking heads like Anderson Cooper, Joe Scarborough, and Keith Olbermann. It was like when Stone Cold would do something crazy on a Sunday Pay-Per-View and you just had to tune in to the ‘fallout show’ on Monday night to get a response from Vince McMahon, continuing the saga.

Trump is the babyface, and CNN of the establishment candidate is the heel. Trump gets pops from the crowd when he says something outlandish about the media or a candidate like “Crazy Nancy” or “Crooked Hillary”. The media gets upset and calls him abhorrent, he just points at them and calls them fake news, and like good heels, they embrace the heat from the booing and vitriol that comes with it. It’s like CNN is asking for this role.

Regardless of your views of the 2020 election – both sides are playing out the false finish/Dusty finish concept. Have it been CNN gloating that it was the “freest and fairest election” in American History (I mean, what a statement). Even the ultra-left Time Magazine couldn’t even say it was the freest or fairest election as the article The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election explained how local governments, liberal groups, DNC apparatchiks, public-sector unions, universities, and big tech all colluded to change voting laws, suppress truthful information, and fomented civil unrest. This is the political equivalent of the heel’s manager distracting the referee to cheat somehow and get over the babyface.

Implications

A mutual follow of mine @Theo_TJ_Jordan does fantastic threads on our socio-political world describing it as The Truman Show – a moniker to label the Mainstream media as actors, crafting the narrative for their own gains, against the will of the people (in this case: we are Truman Burbank). Theo describes what the Truman Show represents in our political landscape. What I propose is how they work at an operational level. What they do is political kayfabe; or the portrayal of politics as legitimate competition, but, a scripted storyline maintaining the illusion that the events and characters are real. I think The Truman Show and Political Kayfabe are simple ways to describe what propaganda does and how it works in a specific situation.

In this wrestling scenario, who are we? Well, we are the spectators in the crowd or watching the action on T. V. reacting to the events. I feel the populous can be broken down into three categories here:

1. The Mark: A wrestling fan who fully embraces the scripted nature of professional wrestling and becomes emotionally invested in the characters, storylines, and matches.
2. The Smark: The term “smark” is a combination of “smart” and “mark”. Smarks are fans who possess insider knowledge about the behind-the-scenes aspects of professional wrestling, such as the inner workings of the industry, backstage rumors, and wrestling terminology. Actively engaged in the banter.
3. The Smart: Someone who sees the larger implications of the actions of the mark and the smark and may actively work to disassociate or change the entire system.

Which one are you?