# WWF: Mindless Entertainment or Prime Time Homoerotic Carnival? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 4, 1999, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927 "1999-11-04T01:55:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 1999, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/21 "1999-11-04T21:25:00Z")
Hey, StrTrkr, former wrestler “Abdullah the Butcher” has a restaurant in Atlanta called “Abdullah’s House of Ribs.” I keep meaning to go there everytime I’m in Atlanta, but I never seem to make it. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 1999, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/22 "1999-11-04T21:38:00Z")
SqrlCub wrote: > [@](#): > > Imagine going out into a ring and throwing and be thrown around for about five minutes. They don’t even seem to tire. That takes a lot of endurance. Wink wink, nudge nudge. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 1999, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/23 "1999-11-04T23:42:00Z")
**StrTrkr777** sensibly asks: > [@](#): > > If you do not like wrestling fine, but why make such blanket statements about the low level of intellegence of those who do? We say no such thing. They do. From the [Prospectus](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1091907/0000950130-99-005812.txt) of World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, on file at the SEC, > [@](#): > > Our brand of entertainment appeals to a wide demographic audience, and although it is principally directed to audiences aged 18 to 34, it has become most popular with males aged 18 to 34 and _teenagers aged 12 to 17_. emphasis added. Draw your own conclusions, but it looks to me like the primary wrestling audience is “teenagers aged 12 to 17” and “males aged 18 to 34” who still think like teenagers. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. * * * Livin’ on Tums, Vitamin E and Rogaine ---
**Author:** ![StrTrkr777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@StrTrkr777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrTrkr777)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 1999, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/24 "1999-11-05T21:05:00Z")
It does not say that they target males 18 - 34 who think like 12 - 17 year olds. It says 18 - 34 year olds and that a lot of 12 -17 year olds watch it too. This was a statment to Cover Their A$$, so that people will not get all up in arms because they “target” 12 - 17 year olds. Sqrl, give names. Who did your friend date? Never heard of the Rib place. Where is it? Jeffery ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/25 "1999-11-06T00:58:00Z")
Hey, it takes a great “mind” to be a wrassler, too! Evidence: my governor. Hmm. Come to think of it, he’s still supplying the mindless entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_of\_Finland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2acd7d/32.png) [@Tom\_of\_Finland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_of_Finland)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/26 "1999-11-07T00:10:00Z")
Hmmmm…guys with bulging pecs and enormous thighs clad in snug little leather hot pants bumping and grinding into each other, sweat pouring off their bodies as they writhe and groan all over the ring…what’s so homoerotic about that? Excuse me, I have to visit the men’s room… * * * ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/27 "1999-11-07T03:47:00Z")
StrTrkr: Abdullah’s is _somewhere_ in southwest Atlanta. I’m pretty sure it’s south of I-20. It was listed in the phone book (either as “Abdullah’s House of Ribs” or just “Abdullah’s”) last time I was there (earlier this year). Still haven’t made it yet. I’ve read that it’s not uncommon for _him_ to be there, too. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/28 "1999-11-07T03:51:00Z")
A guy by the name of Abdullah sells ribs? Must all be beef ribs. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/29 "1999-11-07T05:47:00Z")
Rysdad, It’s just his ‘rasslin’ name. The ‘rasslin’ character “Abdullah the Butcher” is from the Sudan. The person who portrays him, Larry Shreve (sp?), at one time hailed from Canada, but now lives in Atlanta. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/30 "1999-11-07T19:22:00Z")
I once was invited to watch a live pay-per-view tournament, where the winners from two matches would meet in the next round. My host pointed out that the wins are arranged so that you never have two good guys or two bad guys wrestling each other. I’ve always thought this knowledge might come in handy some day, since it means that, once one of a tournament match’s participants is known, then you can bet with one-hundred percent certainty who the winner of the next qualifying match is, assuming you can find someone who hasn’t been keeping track of things to accept your bet. ---
**Author:** ![StrTrkr777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@StrTrkr777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrTrkr777)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/31 "1999-11-08T20:37:00Z")
They are never so obvious as to say it must be a good guy and a bad guy against each other. Besides, a good guy can change to a bad guy and vice versa during a match so all bets are off so to speak. Jeffery ---
**Author:** ![Rousseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Rousseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rousseau)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/32 "1999-11-08T21:07:00Z")
I admit, I used to like rasslin’. I used to watch every Saturday morning, and even get some of the pay-per-view events. I knew all the rasslers’ names, and all their moves. And I used to believe it was real. **WHEN I WAS 7 YEARS OLD.** Of course, it must be said that rasslin’ was of much higher quality back then. Characters like Hulk Hogan were actually good role models (Eat your vitamins, Hulkamaniacs!!). Hogan, the clear-cut good guy, always overcame seemingly insurmountable odds. Hell, he even accounted for the single greatest (and perhaps only “great”) moment in rasslin’ history. Most fans today couldn’t tell me which moment I’m referring to. Randy Savage was good too, but he became a bad guy when they started to run out of storylines. Oh well. Every now and then I take a look back at the old tapes I have of the pay-per-view events. The differences are huge. Instead of people encouraging 7-year-olds to “suck it,” you had Hacksaw Jim Dugan waving an American flag and cleaning the Russkie’s Commie clock. We used to have “The Hart Foundation” (my favorite rasslers ever), who were all about teamwork and looking out for each other. Now, whenever I do chance to flip it on, I see tag teams stabbing each other in the back and running away with the big-breasted blonde. And that’s another thing! Take any of the implanted hookers on rasslin’ today, and compare her to Miss Elizabeth. This alone will show you how far it has sunk. Don’t get me wrong, I personally have no problem with these women, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for the younger audience. McMahon should have some decency. And as for the broad statements about today’s rasslin’ fans, these statements are not based on any kind of stereotype. One merely has to take a look at the crowd at any given rasslin’ event to some to these conclusions. By the way, I always refer to it as “rasslin’” because I refuse to equate it with real wrestling. * * * The IQ of a group is equal to the IQ of the dumbest member divided by the number of people in the group. ---
**Author:** ![Ophanim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8491ac/32.png) [@Ophanim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ophanim)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927/33 "1999-11-09T17:18:00Z")
I’m not exactly sure why, but lately I’ve begun to equate Wrasslin’ with pornography. Maybe it’s because they both have sweaty people rolling around with little on, or maybe it’s because they have the same demographic. I don’t know, they both just give me the skeeves. I loved it when I was a kid though, especially the aforementioned Hulk match. Does anyone remember Wrestling Buddies? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwf-mindless-entertainment-or-prime-time-homoerotic-carnival/16927.md?page=1)