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THE THREE FACES OF KAYFABE

"We're Taking Over!" - Hunter Hearst Helmsley, to Vince McMahon, 10/28/99

Three innocent words, uttered by DGeneration-X v3.2 at the start of last weeks episode of Looney Tun...er, Smackdown. Yet, they have astounding significance in one regard: they are a perfect example of the "Three Faces of Kayfabe."

The term is a loose ripoff of the "Three Faces of Foley", a term used to describe Mick Foley (#3 Best Selling Author!) three dynamically successful personalities, each joined by a common bond, but different as dawn, midday, and dusk. Mankind (his predominant WWF personality) is a deranged, manacial loner, while Dude Lover is the hippie chick magnet, and Cactus Jack is a attitude-laced, hardcore as they come, rebel.

Kayfabe is that oh-so-overused term having to do with the cloak of silence involving the fixed nature of the sport. Wrestling is real, but the outcomes are predetermined, much like the Harlem Globetrotters play real basketball, but (surprise) the Globetrotters always win. And as Mick or most any wrestler will tell you, it's a REAL, dangerous business being in that ring. The three faces of Kayfabe are "REAL", "GRAY AREA", and "FIXED". Real, by definition, is any part of the sport that is actually what it seems on the surface (ie, the action/moves in a match are DEFINITELY real), "Gray Areas" are parts that are pushed as real, but aren't (ie, 99% of the finishes, most of the storyline, "Shoot" interviews, and most of the "on screen characters"), and "Fixed" is not real, and pushed as not real (the least-used and by far the least dominant element of the wrestling picture --until recently. An example of this would be Bagwell making it clear that he was laying down for La Parka.).

Why do I bring this up? Because *D-X* was a perfect example of how to exploit all three "faces" without looking patently ridiculous (or at least insulting the intelligence of your "Smart" fans.).

D.X's desire to be the "top dogs" in their industry is as real as any move -- who DOESN'T want to be the most popular player of their game?
As far as selling the story, they did it pretty well. "Firing" Vince, stuffing the Rock into the truck, and turning on Kane were very well done, and sold that DX was trying to "takeover", which is seen as real but is a ludicrous idea in real life.
The Rock and Kane returned in the main to beatdown the heels, giving a bone to the naysayers that thought the Rock was NOT actually driven across town and left in the trunk of a car. Guess what: This little nod to "Realism" makes it a lot more entertaining and a lot easier to suspend your disbelief.

"That's all great and good, T, but what exactly is your point? Where are you going with this?", I can almost hear my three readers asking me. Well, it goes like this:

"A perfect balance of the "three faces" of Kayfabe must be achieved for a good pseudo-shoot angle."

Write it down, memorize it, there'll be a quiz later, especially if you hail from Rockla.. er, Atlanta, because unfornuately some writers have gone astray from New York, and are shooting themselves in the foot trying for the old "Worker vs Mgmt" golden fued.

FATAL MISTAKE #1 -- Buff Bagwell. They unearthed a whole can of worms by having Bagwell "lay" down, and hammering it into our heads with the SLEDGEHAMMER OF RUSSO that the endings to a match are fixed. Okay, fair enough, on to....

FATAL MISTAKE #2 -- Curt Hennig. basically if he gets pinned, he's history. Eh tu? I thought we already established that he'd only lose if scripted to...? Oy Bloody Vey.....Repeat after me: "For it to make sense, you shall NOT contradict two opposing faces of Kayfabe." Either it's scripted, or it ain't, guys. Pick one.

FATAL MISTAKE #3 -- OVER F'N SATURATION. The "New Ego Strokers in Town" have booked themselves as the promotion's main storyline. They're going for "Austin/McMahon" but they're getting "nWo". Why? They've pretty much buried the undercard with this. Remember, it was DX/Nation and the initation of the mega-pushes of their current headliners that underscored the big story, and wove into it at several points, all while maintaining their unique identity. Lay off the "Powers THAT be" -.oh, and while you're at it....

FATAL MISTAKE #4 -- The "Powers That Be Face or Heel?" -- Are they good or bad? They've "put their stamp on Monday Nitro like never before." They deliver that T & A, so they're good. But they are holding back Buff & embarassing Medusa, so they're bad. What are we supposed to think of these guys? Being as the majority of your show is booked around you, it would help a lot to know the answer to that.

FATAL MISTAKE #5 --PSUEDO SHOOTING THEMSELVES TO DEATH -- So if so many people are pissed off, how come all they are doing about it is coming out and whining on TV? And why aren't the "powers" doing something about all the havoc? They need to get a VKM-esque authority figure on the air, and fast, cause (referencing "Gray Area") the fact that authority is not really responded to all the challenge and dissentation (save for the Blu Two) really hurts this.

FATAL MISTAKE #6 -- Jeff Jarrett. Coming full circle from Hennig & Bagwell, Jarrett has claimed that the main angle (the WCW Title Tourney) is a work to put him (Jarrett) over. Um, why would Bagwell fight Jarrett if the FINISH is scripted and the powers are on his side? Why are the other 15 matches being treated as serious competition? Sigh. "To make sense, thou shall NOT contradict opposing faces of kayfabe."

ARRGGHHH. To be fair, it's only week two (3?) of "Sports Entertainment a la WCW" and I realize they are still trying to work out the kinks. Still, a huge element of successful Crash TV is continuity, and the "Powers THAT be" better take heed, because they are being majorly sloppy in the opening rounds.

But, at least they didn't get caught in a bear trap.

Mr. T
[slash] wrestling

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Main BLAH	THE THREE FACES OF KAYFABE "We're Taking Over!" - Hunter Hearst Helmsley, to Vince McMahon, 10/28/99 Three innocent words, uttered by DGeneration-X v3.2 at the start of last weeks episode of Looney Tun...er, Smackdown. Yet, they have astounding significance in one regard: they are a perfect example of the "Three Faces of Kayfabe." The term is a loose ripoff of the "Three Faces of Foley", a term used to describe Mick Foley (#3 Best Selling Author!) three dynamically successful personalities, each joined by a common bond, but different as dawn, midday, and dusk. Mankind (his predominant WWF personality) is a deranged, manacial loner, while Dude Lover is the hippie chick magnet, and Cactus Jack is a attitude-laced, hardcore as they come, rebel. Kayfabe is that oh-so-overused term having to do with the cloak of silence involving the fixed nature of the sport. Wrestling is real, but the outcomes are predetermined, much like the Harlem Globetrotters play real basketball, but (surprise) the Globetrotters always win. And as Mick or most any wrestler will tell you, it's a REAL, dangerous business being in that ring. The three faces of Kayfabe are "REAL", "GRAY AREA", and "FIXED". Real, by definition, is any part of the sport that is actually what it seems on the surface (ie, the action/moves in a match are DEFINITELY real), "Gray Areas" are parts that are pushed as real, but aren't (ie, 99% of the finishes, most of the storyline, "Shoot" interviews, and most of the "on screen characters"), and "Fixed" is not real, and pushed as not real (the least-used and by far the least dominant element of the wrestling picture --until recently. An example of this would be Bagwell making it clear that he was laying down for La Parka.). Why do I bring this up? Because D-X was a perfect example of how to exploit all three "faces" without looking patently ridiculous (or at least insulting the intelligence of your "Smart" fans.). D.X's desire to be the "top dogs" in their industry is as real as any move -- who DOESN'T want to be the most popular player of their game? As far as selling the story, they did it pretty well. "Firing" Vince, stuffing the Rock into the truck, and turning on Kane were very well done, and sold that DX was trying to "takeover", which is seen as real but is a ludicrous idea in real life. The Rock and Kane returned in the main to beatdown the heels, giving a bone to the naysayers that thought the Rock was NOT actually driven across town and left in the trunk of a car. Guess what: This little nod to "Realism" makes it a lot more entertaining and a lot easier to suspend your disbelief. "That's all great and good, T, but what exactly is your point? Where are you going with this?", I can almost hear my three readers asking me. Well, it goes like this: "A perfect balance of the "three faces" of Kayfabe must be achieved for a good pseudo-shoot angle." Write it down, memorize it, there'll be a quiz later, especially if you hail from Rockla.. er, Atlanta, because unfornuately some writers have gone astray from New York, and are shooting themselves in the foot trying for the old "Worker vs Mgmt" golden fued. FATAL MISTAKE #1 -- Buff Bagwell. They unearthed a whole can of worms by having Bagwell "lay" down, and hammering it into our heads with the SLEDGEHAMMER OF RUSSO that the endings to a match are fixed. Okay, fair enough, on to.... FATAL MISTAKE #2 -- Curt Hennig. basically if he gets pinned, he's history. Eh tu? I thought we already established that he'd only lose if scripted to...? Oy Bloody Vey.....Repeat after me: "For it to make sense, you shall NOT contradict two opposing faces of Kayfabe." Either it's scripted, or it ain't, guys. Pick one. FATAL MISTAKE #3 -- OVER F'N SATURATION. The "New Ego Strokers in Town" have booked themselves as the promotion's main storyline. They're going for "Austin/McMahon" but they're getting "nWo". Why? They've pretty much buried the undercard with this. Remember, it was DX/Nation and the initation of the mega-pushes of their current headliners that underscored the big story, and wove into it at several points, all while maintaining their unique identity. Lay off the "Powers THAT be" -.oh, and while you're at it.... FATAL MISTAKE #4 -- The "Powers That Be Face or Heel?" -- Are they good or bad? They've "put their stamp on Monday Nitro like never before." They deliver that T & A, so they're good. But they are holding back Buff & embarassing Medusa, so they're bad. What are we supposed to think of these guys? Being as the majority of your show is booked around you, it would help a lot to know the answer to that. FATAL MISTAKE #5 --PSUEDO SHOOTING THEMSELVES TO DEATH -- So if so many people are pissed off, how come all they are doing about it is coming out and whining on TV? And why aren't the "powers" doing something about all the havoc? They need to get a VKM-esque authority figure on the air, and fast, cause (referencing "Gray Area") the fact that authority is not really responded to all the challenge and dissentation (save for the Blu Two) really hurts this. FATAL MISTAKE #6 -- Jeff Jarrett. Coming full circle from Hennig & Bagwell, Jarrett has claimed that the main angle (the WCW Title Tourney) is a work to put him (Jarrett) over. Um, why would Bagwell fight Jarrett if the FINISH is scripted and the powers are on his side? Why are the other 15 matches being treated as serious competition? Sigh. "To make sense, thou shall NOT contradict opposing faces of kayfabe." ARRGGHHH. To be fair, it's only week two (3?) of "Sports Entertainment a la WCW" and I realize they are still trying to work out the kinks. Still, a huge element of successful Crash TV is continuity, and the "Powers THAT be" better take heed, because they are being majorly sloppy in the opening rounds. But, at least they didn't get caught in a bear trap. Mr. T [slash] wrestling Mail the Author	BLAH
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