I have no problem with WWE targeting a younger demographic. Its no different than Warner Bros. airing an animated cartoon and selling Batman toys. Meanwhile, they’re also selling a darker, more violent movie that children will get to see. It also concerns me when Congress states that WWE wrestlers are role models for children while they fail to use the same standards for actors and movie companies.  

No one is calling for Hollywood or the Batman franchise to go in front of Congress to talk about the death of Heath Ledger. Just imagine if that happened to a wrestler. No one has ever asked questioned on how Christian Bale gain 40 pounds of muscle to play Batman.  

Stars like Ledger, Jack Nicholson, Val Kilmer, Drew Berrymore, Arnold Schwarznegger, Vivica A. Fox, Eric Roberts, Anthony Michael Hall, and Gary Oldman have all had some kind of history of drug and alcohol use, but no one has ever blamed that on the the industry or the Batman franchise. The same people that will complain about WWE targeting a younger audience will be waiting in line with their children to see the Dark Knight sequel.

Robert B.

Powell’s POV: Your argument seems to suggest that two wrongs make a right. Although no one may be asking questions specifically about the Batman franchise, the entertainment industry is at least starting to feel some heat. The Wrestling Observer Newsetter noted that the producers of “American Gladiators” are aware of the criticism they received for featuring freakishly muscular performers in the gladiator roles during the first season. They even claim that they are going to start testing the gladiators.

Obviously, that’s just a single television show and one could certainly make the case that Hollywood should be investigated, but Ledger’s death is not one in a long line of fatalities involving people who all worked for one particular company at one time or another during their careers. I believe WWE has the right to market their product toward children and it’s up to parents to be involved and monitor what their children are watching on television and online, but the argument that WWE should get a free pass because the motion picture industry hasn’t been probed doesn’t cut it with me.

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As of right now, I’d definitely be more inclined to watch a one hour Knockouts show, as the nearly two hours of Impact I watched last week had me reeling in agony. One of the only parts of the show I found remotely entertaining as a wrestling fan was the Awesome Kong vs. Angelina Love match and the post-match antics with Kim and ODB. The post-match angle gave a nice lead up to their three-way match (which is the first I’d heard of it by the way) at the next PPV. 

I did enjoy one other part of the show though, but it’s only because I’m a huge Brother Ray mark. The Team 3D skits with Johnny Devine behind the camera trying to keep them on their diets while not hilarious, were definitely funny to me, though I could see how folks that aren’t big Brother Ray marks would be turned off. I found myself not caring about the main event and went to sleep thinking, “Eh, I’ll just catch the recap on Prowrestling.net or PWTorch.com.”

I digress. As bad as Impact has been lately, I’ve found that the Knockouts division is the highlight of my Thursday nights. While six months ago I loathed women’s wrestling, I actually seem to enjoy Kong’s rampage more than just about anything else wrestling is giving me right now—be it WWE (all 3 brands) or TNA.  Thanks for letting me rant.
 
Sam Robinson

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I can tell you surely that WWE's business is being hurt by UFC and MMA. People that watch wrestling for wrestling must get frustrated with the B.S. that goes on. Even as a big of fan as I am of the WWE, I roll my eyes at the, Vince McMahon and Horswaggle angle, Carlito running into a wall, a woman giving birth to a hand, referees killing themselves, and Triple H making love to a corpse nonsense that the WWE sometimes partakes in. As one gets older this stuff is even to stupid for wrestling fans.

UFC and MMA offers real fights, little B.S. and you can gamble on it. Personally I don't like MMA and the UFC for the reason many people don’t, as I read that major hyped title fights end in 90 seconds. I have always said and will always say at the very least with wrestling if (the WWE) charges 35-40 dollars for a pay-per-view, you are getting a guaranteed two hours and 45 minutes of action. Where they blow this opportunity is when they make the free show on Monday seem more important. For the most part, though, the pay-per-views (lately) have been above average.

Real sports are always going to be more popular than pro wrestling. Wrestling is a subculture and always will be. To steal a phrase, there are a lot more people that don't "Get It" than those that do.

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