With no end in sight for the current social media craze, it seems as though the very personal twist put on the internet by sites like twitter is here to stay. For the independent wrestling scene it feels like a blessing and a curse, as performers make connections with fans and grow their personal businesses while simultaneously, the negativity typically associated with the internet seems to spread even quicker.
Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed more and more of said negativity, and it feels like a very era-specific brand of drama. When one party makes a disparaging comment about another, it’s so instantaneous, so public, and the response is so immediate, that issues seem to snowball rapidly. The Twitter Age is such that there really is no time for cooler heads to prevail; once the first shot is fired, an angry response will be sent back before a second thought and before you know it – people’s dirty laundry is being aired in a petty, public forum.
One such issue that comes to mind is the recent war of words between the former Kharma of WWE and TNA fame, and SHINE’s Reby Sky. After Kharma placed her name in the trademark ‘Ho Bag’ on a a recent YouShoot (there’s a shit-stirring segment if ever I saw one, by the way), Sky fired back with some pretty aggressive comments. Read the full report here on Diva-Dirt for the gritty details, but needless to mention things got heated. I’ve aired my grievances with shoot interviews before, but I feel like they are significantly more inflammatory in an age where stories are passed through the grapevine so quickly, and often by ‘fans’ looking to stir the pot. In the above example, Sky didn’t even see the video in question, and was responding to a message sent on Ask.fm – and as soon as she read it, the textbox was ready and waiting for her immediate, and emotional response – it’s the immediacy of the medium that leads to such heated exchanges.
Similarly – Monday night’s edition of RAW, which featured a acid tongued promo from AJ Lee, was the catalyst for the latest in a long line of personal barbs from ROH’s Maria Kanellis on twitter – comments that some fans took exception to.
Social media has also revolutionized the way we promote our online ventures, such as the article you’re reading right now. As with mainstream media however, it’s often the lowest blows and the cheapest attempts to shock that will get people’s attention online. For example, when BJ Whitmer was recently injured on an ROH show – fan support was near-universal. Indie fanatics around the world sent their prayers and thoughts to the wily veteran as he consulted with medical experts about his future in the business he loves. However, within a few days of the incident, social media was abuzz about one thing – and it wasn’t the unifying of wrestling fans in support. A well known, sensationalist writer for a prominent wrestling site crafted a typically mean spirited editorial blasting everyone involved; a low blow to not only Whitmer – but Mike Bennett who was involved in the spot as well. While accidents happen in wrestling, and playing the blame game is a fool’s act, I had to sympathize with Bennett in that scenario as he was no more at fault than anyone else and to be subject to such vilification at a difficult time was crass, and a low point for wrestling journalism this year. But as I noted – it was the talk of the indie wrestling sphere for the majority of the day. Just like tacky tabloid headlines that serve as watercooler talk in the mainstream entertainment realm – the sleaziest tactics will generate the most buzz on twitter, day-to-day, without fail.
“I hate sensationalistic headlines anyway, but the internet makes matters worse. Because everyone is chasing advertising dollars that are hard to come by,” noted PWP senior-editor Jerome Cusson. “Employing individuals like [the writer in question] is a perfect example of that. He’s not adding to the conversation of professional wrestling in a constructive matter. All he’s doing is generating content meant to piss people off and generate controversy. I think the epidemic in wrestling reporting mirrors exactly what has become commonplace in political, sports, and even local news reporting.”
It’s not all bad of course – the internet and social media is more than a never ending cycle of back-biting. Promoters have found a way to reach fans all over the world in a quick, cost-effective way that allows them to drum up interest in their products. Earlier this year I was struck by AIW’s tireless efforts to promote their loaded JT Lighting Invitational tournament on SMVOD – and in general, they do a great job of engaging fans and constantly providing teasers and tidbits online to draw some eyes on their product. Similarly, wrestlers are able to promote themselves online, whether it be finding bookings, selling merchandise or simply engaging fans. One of the best things about the indie wrestling scene is the intimacy of the show – something lacking in larger companies – and that translates to wrestlers’ online presence too.
Ultimately – it’s as much of an issue as you want it to be. I would wager that some people would much rather settle their differences privately, and without providing fodder for news site writers and gossipy fans, but the lure and immediacy of social media complicates the issue. Others, undoubtedly, might not care either way and probably relish the chance to air their grievances publicly. Hell, it’s not like I’m not guilty of that – and perhaps many of you reading this are too.
As always, I’d like to hear from you all on this? What do you make of social media in wrestling? Positives, negatives, whatever is on your mind. Leave a comment below, with your thoughts. And before signing off, I’d like to thank everyone for reading and apologize for my lack of columns recently – a broken laptop and sever case of writers block was slowing me down but I’m glad to be writing again and I look forward to hearing from you all on this issue.