Kayfabe, outside of the ring..

One thing that has really bugged me was The Undertakers Last Ride documentry being advertised on WWE TV. Seeing him being called Mark felt so wrong, he was one guy who really stuck to Kayfabe over the years.

What I miss about Kayfabe is that it made everything feel real. For example, you see a heel heartlessly destroying their opponent in the ring and then on social media they're acting nice and posing in friendly selfies.

I think if they - the wrestler - are dealing with an fan/individual, one-on-one, then I think they don't need to be in full kayfabe mode. But, if they are acting in a capacity for the WWE that will be shown to thousands/millions of people, they really need to be in character. I agree with theoutlaw1999, they should remain in character when they are on social media that the public/viewing audience can see. I remember watching one of the diva shows years ago and on it they showed Titus O'Neil, who couldn't have been a nicer person, but, on Raw/Smackdown he had just viciously attacked his tag team partner and became a heel. So the WWE wanted us to boo/hate him on Raw/Smackdown, but on one of their other shows they show him as a good dude, making it hard to hate him. They need more consistency.

I remember hearing a story from Ted DiBiase, he said that Vince McMahon would give him some extra money to use in public to show that he was in fact the Million $ Man. So when Ted was in a restaurant, after he was finished eating - usually with Virgil - he and stand up and announce that he was buying everyone's dinner in the place, just to prove to those people that he was in fact the Million $ Man. He didn't do this often, just every now and then to create the illusion that in real life he was the character he played on TV. Vince also had him flying 1st class on every flight and when he was picked up at the airport he was always picked up by someone driving a limousine, just in case a fan happened to be at the airport when DiBiase was there, they wanted it to seem to the fans that he truly was the Million $ Man. I think wrestling today would greatly benefit from more kayfabe.

I understand both sides of it. On one hand wrestling is suppose to make you suspend belief so to speak but on the other hand we're suppose to just look at it as simple entertainment. While I dont need/expect 100% kayfabe, it would at least be nice if wrestlers showed more of their character on social media then who they are. While I love the storyline its hard for me to take the Bliss-Fiend storyline real serious & get invested when shes posting pics of her no hit wonder bf all over IG.

Its one thing I love about Brock is that he is his character & vice versa and its just works so ing well. Even when Im tired of seeing him, I want to see him cause he brings that realism to wrestling.

I don't know how I exactly feel about it but it does bother me - Jericho being a top heel but maintaining a podcast where he's good ol Chris...it's a bit of a cluster . but it's 2020, to some degree unavoidable..

I think it’s a dated concept.

It bothers me. All the mainstream guys can learn from MJF. He is in gimmick all the time. In the indies it's worse. During shows, when they are in the ring, everyone sticks to their gimmicks and heel and face work, but as soon as the show is over, the guys who just tried to kill each other are laughing with each other and having a beer in the bar. Or on facebook you have two guys in a "feud" are at a BBQ hugging each other and nearly making out. The fans are friends with the workers and try to get themselves over and so on. When I'm at a show, I don't interact with a face in public unless it's unavoidable, even then, I'll walk by and say something insulting them. I don't have drinks with fans after a show. I get my stuff and leave and when I leave I insult the fans, etc. And on my facebook it's all still in gimmick. I don't post anything personal on it. Yeah I'm a nothing but it makes me feel like I'm doing whatever I'm doing right.

But like Bobby Heenan said a long time ago. The magic is over. Who cares anymore?

It’s all make believe at the end of the day anyways. At this point, if you want to believe in kayfabe then it’s best to stay off social media, dirt sheets, and forums such as this one. You’re paying for a show. You get one. Once the show is over, it’s each workers business what they do.

I only have an Instagram in character. After a show, I talk to everyone and hang out and such. It works with my character. I’ll continue to sell my injuries and avoid who ever kicked my ass that night. After I leave though, I’m not that character and neither is anyone else on the show.

People aren't as naive as they were in the 80's. Back then reality was key. Now people are more focused on demos, pushes, heat, brass rings, glass ceilings, booking, rumors, and quarterly earnings. It's not the same as it used to be, and it shows.

Yes