For the revolution of the world... part ii

[Guest Asplagis]

 For the revolution of the World... Wrestling Federation II

 

 "Hell is other people" Jean-Paul Sartre

 

How the mighty fall; nothing ever lasts forever it would seem. America's prosperity under an overbearing patriarchal regime was based on careful lies and strategically placed half-truths. America, like any nation in the world, built itself on the backs of others and in pure Orwellian fashion exploited the media in hopes of making friendly nations into enemies and vice versa. So long as the threat came from outside, so long as evil was not within but without, everything would be well in the "Land of the free". Ultra politics Zizek might say - the complete abolishment of the Other through military and legal means, making the Other into an outlaw for what you yourself are doing. The illusions were eventually shattered, sending symbolic shards of glass through the heart of the people. There came a time where great enemies like the USSR or the Nazis simply did not exist anymore. Without them, the American Empire needed something to justify itself. And so, the blind hope and faith so vital to the established conservative regime would be replaced by a widespread sentiment of resignation and even mistrust towards any and all authority figures. Conspiracy theories, X-files, government plots, corporate evil - all signs of a war within the Empire itself.

 

There simply comes a time when the mass cannot bear the burden of oppression and seeks to emancipate itself from the domination of the elite. Sadly though, it would seem that the mass only falls prey to a new elite time after time. The population of the United States grew tired of the "old guard", of those "crusty conservatives" who ran the country with good old-fashioned paternalism and decided to change everything. Well, in theory anyway. The World Wrestling Federation's fans were no different in that regard.

 

We quickly forget that wrestling fans, be they casual or not, have lives outside of their hobby. Despite the oft-heard jokes surrounding the social activities of wrestling fans on the Internet, a good number of them work or at the very least evolve in a given social context. They too are affected by changes in the generally accepted values and jumped on the "liberal bandwagon" that was supposed to end the era of stiff old men and their restrictive rules - especially younger fans. Liberalism would triumph over all and would use the frustration of younger generations to conquer America.

 

Now don't think individualism wasn't a central value in America in the past, for it was perhaps one of the sole value to have ever reached a certain "consensus" within the so-called "Land of the Free". Hollywood edified heroes who worked hard to better themselves and overcome the ever bothersome Other on the way to become some great person, be it in politics, sports or business. They had "pure hearts", representing the "gutsy" American way marked by the belief that the world is your oyster so long as you work hard and have pure faith. But pure faith can sometimes be difficult to achieve when you're frustrated by life despite working harder than everyone else. The conservatives silenced the populace with faith and hope of a better tomorrow that unfortunately never came. The elite grows old and strong through nepotism (be it filial or not), they ensure a golden future for their kin and nothing but contempt for those of lower status. A strictly enforced hierarchy built to maintain the political, economical and social inequities be they based on sex, social class, religion or racial background.

 

All this is hidden from view in the 80's and few dare to question the political order. In the 90's however the tide turned and hypocrisy became the subject of media attention. Liberalism grew stronger with the knowledge that the old order was on the run and it was merely a matter of time before it would take over. Thus, the young and go-getters that are marketing experts proposed a revamped version of individualism as the key value for the renewal of this American society. Poor, rich; men, women; powerful, weak; no one should stand idly by. So rise up and take control of your life by stepping on everyone before they step on you. Think by yourself, for yourself with no concern for the Other for he shall only blind you with lies and double talk. Just do it my friend! Now is the era of the individual where he is king and his needs and desires must be continuously catered to and conformity is the ultimate sin. In this context of mistrust and glorified navel staring wrestling needed a new hero, a new champion since the old one would simply not do anymore. Just as the mass gradually lost its patience with the old elite and the religion associated with it, a new one was waiting in the shadows to whisper words of rebellion and protest in their ears. In wrestling, a new order was getting ready to unleash its own brand of mayhem upon an unsuspecting audience... a new world order that is...

 

 The nWo

 

The nWo was a first attempt to capture this rebellious spirit that would be honed and fortified in the shape of Austin's "Stone Cold" character. Hogan's sudden change of heart was considered sickening by some and terribly ironic by others. But this self-serving attitude that transcended the usual categorisation of face and heel was already present in the past and received good reactions from certain very specific (not to mention limited) groups of individuals.

 

Bad News Brown, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Macho Man" Randy Savage all had their own share of fans that secretly cheered for their selfish ways. Not everyone loved MTV and Cindy Lauper (or Mr. T for that matter), nor did everyone love Hogan. The crowds in Philadelphia were notorious for applauding rulebreakers and despising the "good guys" - a particularity that Paul Heyman would eventually use in order to create ECW (his own toned down version of Atsushi Ohnita's Japanese promotion FMW). One could even use Dusty Rhodes' brand of violent southern justice as a prime example of "vile" actions being supported by the fans. If the traditional elite and faith couldn't fix things, then they would find people who didn't mind dirtying their hands... just like Dusty Rhodes when he brought Tully Blanchard to justice. Originality is more myth than reality sometimes...

 

The nWo took America by storm for numerous reasons, one of which being how it blurred the lines between reality and the wrestling fantasy Universe. The WWF was losing ground by sticking to its old formula and refusing to diverge from the path of blandness led by corny Bret Hart and the ineffective Shawn Micheals. Even if characters like Goldust were a sign of things to come, McMahon was convinced that America hadn't changed since the golden years of Rock n' Wrestling. Then he saw the light! A great man approached him and told him that marketing experts were the key to the future. "'Attitude' that, your imperial majesty, is the only solution!" Thus spoke the prophet with one eyebrow...

 

 St. Russo and the church of Attitude

 

Actually, it was the Empire's ruler, Vincent K. McMahon Jr., and the great apostle St. Russo who preached for more "attitude", in public at least. St. Russo converted McMahon to the church of Attitude and soon the Empire learned to embrace Austin and the wacky antics of various wrestlers. Austin was allowed much freedom - even going as far as threatening Brian Pillman and McMahon himself with murder. They had come a long way since Dustin Runnels ran around grabbing some jobber's buttocks on national television (or his wife Terri showing an interest in Rena Mero's own backside for that matter).

 

McMahon, in public, was gradually turning into Stone Cold ? cussing out those who crossed him and claiming that the media didn't "get it". Though some might argue that he's simply a social chameleon capable of adapting himself to the context with ease and was always an uncaring individualist. As for St. Russo, he had a pivotal role in making sure that the WWF product stayed "hip" all the while staying in the shadow of his boss. If Hogan had the training, the prayers and the vitamins, St. Russo had reality, attitude and crash TV.

 

The actual format of the WWF product itself changed mostly after Austin's rise to fame, then again, McMahon's Rock n' Wrestling was born after Hogan won the world belt from the Iron Sheik. It seems that every revolution in wrestling needs a flag bearer of some kind as well as the proper context in which to grow. It would be proper then that we spend some time analysing the flag bearer of this new era himself.

 

 

 The characters:

 

Hogan had one stereotypical villain after another, but what about Austin? While perhaps less cartoonish and grossly exaggerated, Austin?s adversaries were no less archetypal; reality TV demands that we distance the product from caricatured portrayals of villainy and heroism. We'll touch the subject of reality TV later, for now, let us concentrate on the cast of characters that allowed Austin to develop.

 

 Jake Roberts: His religious preaching and good showing at the King of the Ring was a symbol of the old order. Anyone, even an old alcoholic crackhead, can become "someone" with a little faith in the heavens. Austin mocked and ridiculed this belief during his victory speech: faith is no longer a guarantee of victory and only the strong survive.

 

 Bret Hart and the Hart clan: Representing those old fashioned Canadians who refuse to fully integrate the American way. They are also subjects of ridicule for their belief that perhaps there's something in this idea of the group being more important than the individual. Hart is also symbolic of an old guard that refuses to go away. "Excellence of execution" is what he said - a man who felt his superior skills gave him moral high ground.

 

 Shawn Micheals: The bratty, snooty pretty boy and his rowdy band. He represents the school jock that tormented nerds and had all the girls at his feet - the prototype for the Rock, Triple H, Edge and numerous others. Your common wrestling fan probably feels quite a lot of animosity towards this particular archetype. Let us not forget the underlying homoerotic tendencies of the "boy toy" (leather and mirrors, biker bad boy Diesel and joy boy Triple H...)

 

 The Rock and the Nation of Domination: Another young pretty boy, rich too... oh and let's not forget, black. The Nation itself stood for the power of black men united against an oppressive white regime - sound familiar? Again, the great champion of liberalism disposes of another opponent of the white common man. This time, the adversary are politically correct anti-racism groups who lobby for their own best interest with the victim being the "honest white working man".

 

 Mick Foley: Friend, foe or freak? Truth is, he was a tortured common man who did what he could to please his boss - unlike Austin of course. He was a family man who did what was asked of him - no matter how degrading. One should pity poor Mick Foley, for he had yet to understand that rebellion was the only solution. When Mick understood all this it was already too late. When McMahon eventually fired him, his choices became that much more limited...

 

 Mr. McMahon and the corporation: If anything, this one is by far the ultimate opposition for "Stone Cold". The great despotic ruler who's iron fisted ways remind one of the domineering boss that the average American has to deal with everyday. The old paternal authority figure that simply won't go away; he was a castrating father who holds back his son in pure Oedipal fashion. McMahon eventually takes on a pseudo-religious role with the arrival of the Corporate Ministry turning the character into a veritable satanic high priest who will have Austin crucified. This would mark Austin?s transformation into a quasi-religious figure himself, thus completing the final step of Austin?s rise to fame as a mythical hero - becoming a martyr.

 

Granted, more would come and go as time passed by (Triple H, Kurt Angle and the Undertaker come to mind) but these men represent the true core of Austin?s rise to fame. By revolving around these characters Austin would be defined as the ultimate hero of individualism; he became the personification of the WWF's new era. Still, those characters revolve around certain themes, three to be exact: authority and deviance, merit and religion

 

 Deviance and authority

 

Being "clean cut" and "wholesome" meant little to WWF fans of the Stone Cold era. Many had already been exposed to the "hardcore" antics of ECW or were at least familiar with them. At worst, WCW provided fans with their own brand of rebelliousness in the nWo and a heel Hogan. Besides, as the Russo "regime" slowly took shape, characters like Goldust were being used to "test the waters" for the Attitude era. In the meantime, everyone and anyone in America wanted to be "politically incorrect" or risk being tagged as conservative - clearly the worst insult one could receive back then. When even Hogan is a rebel then you know it?s time you changed your ways!

 

Break the established rules : break a window, spit on the sidewalk; don't let anyone tell you what to do or say... but... by Gawd! Buy the shirts! Look, after all, is quite important for any self-respecting rebel.

 

"Stone Cold" was "The Ringmaster" with an even plainer, if not utterly bland, look: bald head, black trunks and boots with no real discernible "gimmick" - almost a throwback to the 80?s NWA. No DiBiase, no Million Dollar belt and especially no more Caribbean strap matches with Savio Vega. His look was odd and went against the grain when compared to the flashy style of the numerous (and often silly) gimmicks that populated the WWF for years ? with the exception of the Hart clan who were stuck in the early 80's of course.

 

Austin's brand of "minimalism" was closer to the no-frills, "natural" look promoted by anti-corporate think tanks than the self conscious and "humble" look that marked the more conservative individuals. While some stay simple to avoid standing out more than necessary, others do it to "rebel" against the "manufactured" and "artificial" creations of large industries such as the music and entertainment business. Austin was of course part of the second (liberal) group while Hart would be a representative of the first (conservative) one.

 

This wasn't the end of Austin's rebellion, far from it. He also raged against everything that was "established". For example, drinking alcohol in front of the kids (remember Hogan telling Buster Douglas that they would "hit the bar, the milk bar that is" ?) or swearing profusely (while Razor Ramon swore a few times and one could hear Mr. Perfect inadvertently say "son of a bitch", genuine swearing tirades were unheard of in the WWF before Austin) Still, wasn't all this planned ahead? Isn't it ironic that a carefully marketed character created by McMahon would be considered a rebel? Did we mention that you should buy the shirt?

 

Deviance was now officially cool, 'cause Stone Cold said so! Oh, and buy the shirt by Gawd!

 

 Merit

 

Hogan's myth in the mid 80's truly began with a surprisingly easy win over the Iron Sheik not long after jumping ship to the WWF. Soon enough, the incredibly popular wrestler was surrounded by fans while friends and alliances also came in large numbers (Brutus Beefcake, "Macho Man", "Mr. Wonderful" etc.) Of course, his unbelievable popularity originally came from the AWA where he was pushed as a world title contender but suffered under Gagne's staunch love of more traditional wrestlers. In such a context McMahon simply had to pick the ripe fruit from the tree and going that extra step which Gagne was too afraid (or perhaps stubborn) to take.

 

Austin's WWF success was slowly built up making the orange one's rise to fame seem - in contrast at least - spontaneous. The emphasis was put on Austin as a working champion rather than a "corporate" one like Hogan. Stone Cold needed to be a true fighter; he needed to be a man who battled valiantly and tenaciously against various symbols of authority and the conservative elite in particular. He felt no need for friends and sought to make no alliances either. If anything, he'd betray his partners outright - after all, wasn't "don't trust anyone" his motto? He worked all alone, he even turned violently on his crony Brian Pillman and never hesitated to attack a fellow heel or fellow face (depending on his current status) In short, Austin was the ultimate individualist and thus the ultimate rebel - as far as WWF logic goes. It should be noted however that ECW brought out the rebel in Steve Austin much like the AWA brought out the champion of the middle class in Hogan.

 

Nevertheless, Austin wasn't as fully ripe as Hogan was when he jumped to the McMahon Empire; the WWF had some work ahead of them in order to produce the desired champion. In revised WWF "history", Hogan was given the world belt with nothing to ?build him up? before this great turn in wrestling history. He came, he saw and he walked out with the world title as if it was destiny; his AWA career having been all but erased, Hogan looked like a real newcomer. Austin for his part was given the intercontinental belt first and then had to "prove his worth" along the way to his first world title victory over a declining Shawn Micheals. Any and all references to his ECW persona had been expunged and forgotten, that is, until Paul Heyman's recent "shoot" promo...

 

The difference between the two roads could thus be summed up as the conflict between one based on exceptional, if not grossly exaggerated, personal qualities (Hogan) and one founded on merit through "hard work" (Austin) Corporate champions don't need to work - just like those "damn bureaucrats and politicians". Austin for his part was a working man's champion : no frills, all action. So buy the shirt by Gawd !

 

The infamous "passing out" ending to his match with Hart is but one example of Austin being portrayed as a tenacious and unyielding individual; he held steadfastly to his values and would never stop working until he reached the top. Contrarily to Austin, Rocky Maivea was "pushed to the moon" as the saying goes and received a less than warm welcome wherever he went. This was eventually worked into the "corporate champion" angle where The Rock was given the belt with McMahon's blessing. As was said before, Corporate champions are given the world on a silver platter while the poor honest working man must toil to get his fair shake. You will always reap what you sow - right?

 

Moreover, as ironic and cruel as it may seem, his injury at the hands of the late Owen Hart only strengthened his hold on the people's favour - great is the power of pity and even greater is the power of the miraculous comeback... Speaking of miracles...

 

 

 Religion

 

Religion is omnipresent in just about every aspect of the entertainment world in the United Sates - whether it's movies, music, television... or pro wrestling. In the 80's you had Hogan preaching about the training the prayers and the vitamins while wearing a crucifix around his neck. When the Earthquake John Tenta crushed him, the camera focused on Hogan's hand clutching at the crucifix in desperation - hoping for a miracle no doubt.

 

In the later half of the 90?s, a "sober" Jake Roberts made a comeback to the WWF complete with "candid" interview segments where he expressed his renewed faith in God and how it changed his life...

 

Then Steve Austin came to throw some chaos into this happy little world...

 

First order of business: faith means nothing. Once again, you reap what you sow. Using slightly disrespectful references to Holy Scriptures is certainly one way to establish a rebellious character. He did it all by himself with no one's help - especially not God. No miracles, no comebacks, just Austin beating everyone and attaining victory at the King of the Ring. Just don't mention Triple H's little mistake that delayed his own promotion to the head of the federation... Then again, the fans didn't know about this or the Clique's backstage games just yet...Oh and for some obscure reason, Diesel, Razor Ramon, Triple H and Micheals all hugged at the end of a match at some house show... be cautious to avoid reading too much into this. In any case, while some might believe that Austin is some manner of materialistic hero, in truth, it was merely a re-appropriation of faith by McMahon. Point in case ? the corporate ministry angle.

 

It was merely a matter of time before faith would be brought back into the thick of things; all it needed was a slight facelift - "attitude" style. Like with wrestlers, religion underwent "repackaging" before coming back to attempt another shot at the top. The Undertaker's "satanic" Ministry of Darkness fused with McMahon's Corporation and led us to McMahon the cult figure. A fitting development actually, seeing as the "corporate world" was by then established as the root of all Evil by your average anti-political correctness activist in America.

 

They crucified Austin, presenting him as a martyr. Austin was by now the real people's champion and he himself had become a cult figure - that of the fight against an overbearing Empire and its decadent faith. He was the desperate hero who suffers for the sins of the people - does this remind you of anyone?

 

It very well should, for McMahon's heroes have always been veritable martyrs and Austin was at times patterned very loosely after one very famous martyr - Jesus of Nazareth. Granted, Austin's roots are a little deeper than this, but for now let us stay within the question of "religious" roots of Austin.

 

As was said before, faith needed a facelift, including one for its major figures. This is not to say that the historical figure of Jesus and Austin are one and the same, far from it. In fact, while Jesus of Nazareth is associated with generosity and selflessness, Austin is as selfish as they come. So why draw parallels between such radically different characters?

 

The answer is rather simple: it isn't Jesus the man (in terms of values and personality traits) as much as Jesus the archetype (dare we say the personification of the mythical martyr) within occidental societies that is being used here. Both resisted temptation, protested against corruption and the "established" system all the while representing the "common folks" and both are eventually crucified for their rebellion.

 

McMahon took certain aspects of the myths surrounding the famous figure and adapted them to fit his own interpretations and purposes. Still, those signs and symbols chosen had a very real importance in the collective sub-consciousness of the American fans. Look at how much ink spilled over the controversial crucifixion angle. We could say that Austin was McMahon's very own man made saviour? even if he had some very flesh (and fat) bound roots as well.

 

 Earthly roots - the common man

 

The "common man" is the mythical figure of virility and courage that many Americans have come to admire. No one wants to admire a weakling like Bill Gates when a roughneck football player is out there breaking records for sacks - that is, when not being convicted of assault or rape... Gates seems undeserving of his fortune for he doesn't suffer for it. In fact, he doesn't seem to be working at all! He got everything through careful lies and manipulation - just like a nerd playing a strategy game on his PC. The same could be said of those who made their fortune through the stock market and financial loopholes. The alienated mass doesn't understand how some can make so much by doing so little. Why are nerds running things and not the tough and gutsy plumbers? Are they not the backbone of America? Men of action are what we need, some might say. America needs men who aren?t afraid to dirty their hands a little - contrarily to those geeks who run businesses and marketing firms. These guys are wusses...

 

When the going gets rough, the common man's hero revolts. Charles Bronson violently murders those men who brutally raped and killed his wife and daughter in the movie Death Wish - one of many "rogue cops" story that made waves throughout the 80's. In the wrestling world, when Ted DiBiase was making fools out of the hard working people, Dusty Rhodes came in to save the day. When Ric Flair was flaunting his money and women, Dusty once again saved us from the evil and snooty bourgeois. Wherever there's a threat to America's proletarian class, Dusty's there. Dusty knew that rules and regulations simply hampered justice and truth - a pragmatic solution is often the only way to ensure the American way. He himself was a rogue cop, or rather, a rogue cowboy.

 

The "son of a plumber" was far removed from Hogan's squeaky clean middle class friendly regime of training, prayers and vitamins. Indeed, our fat and out of shape guardian of the working man was truly a southern hero through and through - which is one of the reasons McMahon despised him so much. Funny how Austin's "Stone Cold" character has a lot in common with our rotund friend. After all, both are pragmatic heroes who feel no need to follow rules; both have a look that appeals to the common man; and both defended the "working man's values" to the very end. This said, Dusty desperately wanted to be the "hero" while Austin was supposed to remain more or less unaffected by such things as vanity and crowd response - didn't he always say that he "didn't give a rat's ass" during his interviews?

 

A proper rogue cop does not seek fame or fortune - his actions are accomplished out of a sense of duty, albeit with a very pragmatic interpretation on the notion of duty. Dusty enjoyed the spotlight a bit too much and Austin didn't seem to care about anyone at first, so again we are faced with an obstacle, one that forces us to reconsider our theory.

 

How do we overcome this problem then? Perhaps we should remember that Austin, unlike Hogan, was not made to be the hero right away. Austin had to "earn" his role as the champion of the working man through a long series of trials although his brand of heroism could be best characterised as "unlikely". Unlikely for it since it is difficult to imagine an uncaring individualist pursuing such a role in the first place!

 

Actually, perhaps there are no problems at all with our theory. Austin did not openly petition for the role of hero like Hogan did. He was made the hero by virtue of the "people's" choice. Which in turn fits in very well with the democratic myths of liberalism - the people are "free to choose" whom and what they want to fulfil their needs and desires. The people decided in a "pure democratic way" who their champion would be and they chose the rattlesnake. Was it really all that democratic? Were the fans "choosing freely" whom they wanted to cheer for?

 

 Criticism

 

Let us recapitulate what we have found out so far :

 

-Austin arrived in the context of turmoil where generalized mistrust and conspiracy theories ruled

-The conservatives who clang on to a hierarchy were the first to be blamed - individualism was the new norm

-Vincent Russo suggested some changes in the WWF products in the form of "attitude", crash TV and reality TV

-Austin was "built up" and "earned" his success as opposed to "put in place" arbitrarily

-Austin represented the values and "mood" of his socio-historical context very well, thus, he was a rebel who overlooked rules and followed only his desires - an unchained ID if you will

-Austin needed adversaries who either represented authority (McMahon), conservatism (Hart) or symbols of corporate corruption (The Rock and Mick Foley) to gain the people's approval - he fought what was "established" at the time

-Austin finds his roots in the rogue cowboy Dusty Rhodes and in Jesus Christ as an archetype of martyrdom

-Austin had the role of hero thrust upon him by the fans rather than openly seeking it

 

In short, Austin was an individualist who fought against the ?establishment? which tended to repress his desires. Through this fight, he became an unlikely champion for the oppressed up to the point of being crucified by the decadent Empire. At the same time, Attitude era WWF was adapting itself to Stone Cold's ways using Russo's influence and gave Austin an environment in which he could succeed and evolve as was the case with Rock n' Wrestling and Hogan.

 

McMahon re-appropriated himself the more popular signs and symbols associated with Christian faith and associated them with Austin the man-made saviour. He found the one thing that could unite the mass (revolt against an authority figure and the "system") and gave it shape through this aforementioned man-made saviour. He also simplified the discourse so it would be accessible to all (Austin the rebel is good, McMahon the corporate mogul is evil). But what exactly was McMahon saying through Austin all this time?

 

Besides the obvious idea of "fighting the establishment" and rebellion, Austin represented pure individualism, unbound by any manner of social rule - as we said before, an unchained ID. Free to indulge in his wildest dreams, the ID ravages everything in its path with no concern for the consequences of its acts. This is the great dream of liberal think tanks, although they believe rather naïvely that individualism leads to a state of pure competition with no perpetual winners or losers. Social Darwinism is usually not far behind either. In fact, didn't Austin eventually take over the WWF alongside Linda McMahon? Doesn't anyone remember the beer-fuelled festivities in the WWF offices? What changes did Linda and Austin's regime lead to besides more "attitude" being organized and paid for by the establishment?

 

 Attitude

 

The key word for the late 90's WWF was attitude. In that one word, Russo and McMahon summed up the spirit and content of the WWF at the time: it's all about shock and controversy - image is everything.

 

Its not their fault if America loved shock DJs and other such controversial figures like underground comedy acts. The Howard Sterns of the world were making copious amounts of money through use of profanity and sex related jokes, turning radio into a veritable farce in the process. Underground comedy became the breeding ground for male chauvinism and xenophobia. Content itself was dictated by empty shock value; the desire to excite as well as impress the crowd at all cost and the all-important populist ideal to "give the people what want". In the end, these men always fell back on the audience to support their actions - "the people demanded it" they said with glee.

 

In truth, this is a rather simplistic view of what some might call the "natural reaction" to political correctness. Shock isn't the problem in of itself, it is the vacuous quality of the content that brings about the reduction of the signs and symbols from which sense is produced as well as the way the content flees the real conditions of existence. But no matter how "juvenile" the humour, the simple accumulation of facts is "trivial" knowledge is just as empty and pernicious. Stating that "sometimes it can be Shakespeare kids" at every turn isn't really contributing much in terms of critical outlook - it is merely succumbing to the hegemonic rule of meaningless details that rob us of a larger view. On the other hand, analysing, for example, the constants in the relationship between elements of discourse in WWF wrestling (a product of "mass culture") and Shakespeare's plays and how all of this relates to North American societies would be more insightful and interesting.

 

In any case, shock value was the current fad and became a necessary tool to blind the masses. While people were busy laughing at toilet humour and oh so controversial slightly veiled racist comments, they quickly forgot what was really happening around them, let alone actually take action.

 

Attitude era WWF focused on the aforementioned "toilet humour" ("Craper 3:16" anyone? McMahon and his misadventures with a bedpan...) and also on shock value in other forms (swearing tirades, "breaking the rules" etc.). But all in all, those were rather minor misdemeanours in the greater scope of things. Stuffing Goldust and Luna into a portable toilet or drinking many beers at once might be impolite, silly or even downright gross, but mean little in terms of changing the political order when put into the context of real life. Yet, real life is a very important aspect of the "Attitude era"...

 

 Reality TV

 

Austin's success led to more "reality" angles, in other words, stories that found a certain resonance in current events and even "everyday life". After all, Austin vs. McMahon meant that for the first time in contemporary WWF history McMahon was openly admitting to his actual role while "in character". More importantly, he interacted with wrestlers as their boss while everyone was "in character" blurring the line between reality and fiction and thus, as Baudrillard noticed in other media products, pushing the fans into hyperreality - the more real than real.

 

The character of McMahon as the evil corporate megalomaniac seemed very real, more real than the real McMahon we saw in press conferences and the like. But that's the point of reality TV: to make you see what you want to see. Carefully edited products are passed off as authentic representations of reality, but they end up seeming more real than reality as we experience it since it actually matches our perceptions and misconceptions of reality. There are rational and deliberate choices being made that are subsequently passed off as spontaneous and "natural". However, since they cater to misconceptions and unfounded perceptions, they overtake reality as we experience it. We can't trust reality as we experience it since it does not seem logical enough, so we fall back on the false but "logical" reality.

 

By that token, if we are to believe McMahon, the best way to relieve yourself of your chains is to revolt by following your desires and stepping on everyone and anyone in your path; individualism is the only way to achieve true freedom. As for the others around you? They simply have to put in some effort to liberate their own damn selves. This is more or less a 90?s version of the American dream (achieving material success through one?s own hard work with no concern for that of others) and so we can better understand how it seduced the audience so easily.As far as the actual praxis is concerned, this theory won?t give you much success. Then again, do you believe that McMahon would incite you to revolt in any truly significant way?

 

 Crash TV

 

Austin was popular because he was simple. He was a rebel and McMahon was crusty. He swore up and down, while McMahon fumed and made funny facial expressions. He said his catchphrase and people responded. This was the result of a systematic breakdown of traditional segment creation and infusing it with the latest techniques used in the world of advertising. They took the essence of the various types of segments (interviews, skits, promos etc.) and proceeded to both reproduce and standardise their actual form.

 

On the other hand, by making short, easily digestible segments with an abundance of catchphrases and carefully edited low brow gags, the WWF was reducing the number of signs and symbols with which we create sense. Our language is being reduced word by word, concept by concept. The WWF was patterning its segments after televised publicity where one must pass a message through a very short time span. Those ads are but one reason why the WWF product seemed empty - but we've already touched upon the notions of shock value. Because of this, we'll skip ahead to the solution to the time constraints problem and the central goal of achieving a way to communicate with the largest possible crowd - buzzwords.

 

This said, we saw that reality TV always involves at least SOME editing? In this case, we simply forget to mention certain facts and elaborate a fantasy world in which everything can be explained through buzzwords and vague reasoning. Then again, what does a teenager know about economy and philosophy or even psychology? Heck, what does an average wrestling fan know about such matters? In the end, you just have to get it.

 

What does "getting it" mean? Well, if you get it, then you'll know. Buzzwords need no explanation and yet manage to elicit a reaction from those who listen. Purposely vague and subject to impossibly large numbers of interpretations, consequently they are the perfect tool for politicians and business men who seek to obfuscate certain facts about their actions (or lack thereof) Buzzwords seem dynamic and make those who use them seem smarter than they really are. They are not concepts, seeing as they are never strictly defined and, all truth be told, they remain fairly useless on an intellectual level - on a strategic one however...

 

Buzzwords in wrestling didn't find much of a use outside of the "get it" campaign, McMahon's casual propaganda or Jim Ross' usual mindless drivel. It's actually a variant of the buzzword, possibly a third cousin or something, called the catchphrase that found an incredible popularity amongst the fans. Just as simple and mindless as buzzwords only better suited to the needs of the wrestling product, catchphrases grew in number to a point where today's big stars seem incomplete without at least a few of them in their repertoire.

 

Even Hogan had his share of catchphrases: "You know Mean Gene..."; "What'cha gonna do when..." and even "the training, the prayers and the vitamin". Not quite Chris Jericho in terms of sheer number, but this was the mid to late 80's... Austin also depended on catchphrases to both gain the attention of the fans and to demolish his foes psychologically. More or less intelligent dialogue would soon become obsolete (not that it was all that present anyways) - it just didn't fit well enough within the format of crash TV. Granted, skits would employ more actual lines and replies (and let us not overlook the infamous "20 minute monologue"...) but those are also carefully standardised and reproduced - everything is. How rebellious is that?

 

 

 Conclusion

 

In conclusion, it is difficult to imagine the late 90's without "Stone Cold" Steve Austin flailing beers cans and uttering his infamous catchphrases. Much like the new World order, he was fresh, new and exciting, but most of all, he spoke to a wide variety of fans - from teenagers to young adults. His feud with Vince McMahon caught the imagination of these fans since he was referring to a very basic interpersonal conflict - the relation to a father-like authority figure. The WWF made it simple and clear so that every boy or man knew very well that Austin's predicament weren't all that far from their own.

 

Much like Hogan, Austin was the flag bearer of a new era in wrestling, but at the same time, it was the continuation of what had already been established. Even in the days of Rock n' Wrestling, McMahon had made it clear that he wanted wrestling to enter the world of mainstream entertainment by whatever means necessary. With Austin and the Attitude era, McMahon accomplished part of his goal to infiltrate mainstream American culture and did it with stride. From football players to rock stars, everyone, it seems, had fun wearing those Austin 3:16 shirts and making it known that they too were rebels and also possibly enjoyed drinking lots of beer.

 

But it wasn't Steve Austin the man that the media adored - they couldn't, for he was "anti-establishment" and didn't associate with such people (except for that "Nash Bridges" show...) Instead, the media took a liking to Austin's catchphrases and the various signs associated with the character. This is quite different from Hogan's case where it was the actual man who appeared everywhere. Then again, Williams is more of a company man than Bollea, not to mention how McMahon probably felt some worries that he might be creating another Hogan... Steve Williams obviously was concerned by money (see the aborted angle with Jeff Jarrett over t-shirt sales issues) rather than his standing within popular culture or even his chances at infiltrating, as an individual, the media and the field of entertainment. In that regard, Austin was a better flag bearer for the WWF product than Hogan. We could also say that it marks an important turn in the virtualization of the wrestler as a product.

 

Still, the WWF provided Austin with the proper environment in which he could thrive as McMahon and his crack team made every decision with the words of St. Russo in mind: crash, reality and attitude. Without this environment, Austin would have been a fish out of water and might have actually died before attaining the success he now has. In fact, had this been the 80's, chances are Stone Cold would have simply turned into another Bad News Allen/Brown. In short, Austin fit the social context like a glove.

 

But through this reproduction, standardisation and even glorification of meaningless details alongside a reduction of signs and symbols with which we create sense, Austin was an example of a popular practice within the cultural industry. Also, because of this very practice, Austin was far from being a rebel. If anything, the failed attempts at a program between him and Jeff Jarrett proved that Steve Williams was anything but an anti-establishment rebel, after all, what self-respecting rebel would whine about t-shirt sales? Austin was thus the hysterical critic absorbed within the corporate machine; the little voice that makes you feel better when you sell your soul, not the angry revolutionary; the man-made saviour who sacrifices himself not for the people, but for the Empire.

 

Go ahead, curse out your boss and give him the double middle fingers - see if he cares. But organize a revolt with the other employees and then you might get some measure of change - although various laws make sure you can't accomplish too much in that department. Still, united individuals have a much stronger voice than a single individual fighting desperately against his oppressor. The goal of McMahon was to give you a fantasy world in which you could escape, hoping to stifle any temptation on your part to break your chains - he absorbed a hysterical critic of his actions and views in Austin. Opposing without giving a real praxis (or even much theory) for his opposition - he's just opposed. Acts are no longer politically charged; they are virtually empty of any real value. No one even bothered to explain the actual functioning of the WWF and how to short-circuit it - that would have been much too dangerous. Instead, we are still being offered a nonsensical system based around market shares and commissioners. But in truth, McMahon was making more money than ever through the "rebellion" of Austin, speaking of which, did you buy the shirt yet?

 

Indeed, how can Austin have so many t-shirts and other such products sporting his catchphrases and name? Does anyone realise how much time and money it would take to make these shirts by hand? And why is it that "Stone Cold" is the property of the WWF? Why is Steve Williams, the man who portrays Austin, a multimillionaire? Isn't all this very ironic? What? Do you know what my watch is telling me? My watch is telling me that this is a load of crap! What?!

 

Asplagis