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What Even Is WWE?

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W.W.E. — probably everyone and their fathers have heard of it. They might not know exactly what it is, but they definitely know the letters.

Since everyone loves to chime in with “You know it’s fake!” (uhh), let me try to explain — or at least give you my take on it.

WWE is like a soap opera… or a reality show (well, as real as those are)… or a freaking play, but with LIVE ACTION.

So when you say “It’s not real,” it’s kind of like saying that stunt Jackie Chan did wasn’t real. Okay, bad example — but you get the point.

Remember: it’s LIVE —

  • Live audience
  • Live broadcast

It’s a play, performed in front of tens of thousands of people in an arena, and millions — and millions — of WWE nerds watching through a screen.

All while the performers are doing flippity shit, heavy lifting, and cardio that lasts longer than your lunch break.

The “Wrestling” Part

The live-action aspect comes from the wrestling, which is scripted fighting with improv. It’s:

  • Acrobatics
  • Powerlifting
  • Pure entertainment

All happening live, in a ring, in front of thousands of screaming fans.

The “TV Show” Part

The soap opera side comes from the storylines:

  • Heroes vs. villains
  • Betrayals
  • Comebacks
  • Underdog arcs
  • Revenge plots

It involves risks as well — injuries of varying degrees can happen anytime. And since it’s live, there’s always a chance of fuck-ups.
If you ask “Why watch scripted fighting?” — well, I’d ask you: why do you watch movies?

Who Gets It?

For adults, I believe a big part of understanding — and being attracted to — WWE depends on whether or not you watched it as a kid.
If you did, it’s familiar. It’s nostalgic.

For WWE-virgin adults, it takes a bit of patience and commitment to fully grasp what’s going on. But once you get it, you're in.

As for the kids?
Well, r/KidsAreFuckingStupid — they’ll watch anything if it’s on a screen.

There’s a lot more to talk about here, but later.