MIT Comparative Media Studies: Pro Wrestling

[LWPD]

MIT Comparative Media Studies: Pro Wrestling

MIT is actually offering a course study on pro wres. They have even contracted WWE guest lecturers who will be giving extended speeches during the semester...including Jim Ross and Mick Foley. For those who may be interested in getting a feel for the curriculm...students and the extended community participate on the corresponding blog linked below:

tinyurl.com/2bv5b8

"This is the official blog of the MIT Comparative Media Studies course on pro wrestling, CMS 997/602. Throughout the semester, the class will be blogging on their journey through the history of American professional wrestling and invite comments from the rest of the world as well."

LWPD (while I'm hopeful that video from these seminars will eventually make their way into the public sphere...I'll archive whatever reviews are posted so we can at least get the gist of what's being offered)

[LWPD]

Here's a review of the first seminar:

"This One's Gonna Be a Slobberknocker: A Q&A with WWE's "Good Ol' J.R."

Courtesy of Wrestling Observer

Credit Jack Encarnacao

I Attended the Jim Ross lecture at MIT on 3/23 and he gave a great talk going through his career and talking philosophically about the business. It was part of Sam Ford's media convergence class at MIT that is looking at pro wrestling as a business and performance art through the years and how it's been linked to the birth of new television and media technologies.

- They started by showing a WWE promotional DVD that seems to be something they would show potential investors. All kinds of clips of their massive crowds and high production values. All kinds of stats about how many live events the company runs, how many PPV orders they get and all that other portfolio stuff. JR jokingly referred to it as propaganda throughout the night. The piece was interesting. The only voice in it was John Cena, which JR said was due to him being the "guy de jour" for the company in the years ahead, putting him in a pantheon with Hogan, Savage, Hart, HBK, Austin and Rock (no HHH?). They hyped Stacy Keibler's exposure on Dancing With The Stars as if she still works there. They showed dozens of clips of the different celebrities that have been involved in angles over the year including Arnold, Ashton Kutcher and Trump. They also showed Jay Leno getting the pin at WCW Road Wild, which I found interesting because they had nothing to do with that one and pass it off like it was something they made happen.

- The class also took a look at two clips of JR in action, including the 1997 sit down interview series with Foley when they went into his past for the first time and showed the home video footage of him jumping off a roof. The class of like 40 people, made up of a lot of wrestling fans, laughed at a few of Foley's lines which were supposed to come off as deadly serious, but overall they appreciated the bit and strangely didn't laugh much when Foley put the mandible claw on JR. JR commented that he hadn't seen that bit in years. They also showed JR going crazy after Foley got thrown off Hell in a Cell in 1998.

- JR said he did not know about Foley's plunge off the cell ahead of time and said he liked it that way so he could ad lib, which JR called one of the great qualities about the business. He said his reactions to what he doesn't know is coming are genuine, and therefore he said he is definitely not an actor. He said the less he knows about what's going to happen in the ring the better so his emotions are more genuine. JR said he convinced McMahon to hire Foley, who was against it because he didn't have the WWE look.

- JR talked about how wrestling fans get ridiculed in their peer groups growing up. He used the Foley line about their being more fake people in the real world than in wrestling, including network TV executives "and their posses" as well as people on Wall Street. He called many of them "phony as a 3 dollar bill."

- JR said the wrestling biz is running out of great storytellers. He said new guys are in too much of a hurry when they perform and are brought up too fast.

- JR said some parts of the world have a much brighter line between good and evil, while in other places it's more blurry. That's the case even within the United States, where JR said Cena in DC was once booed "like he was Osama Bin Laden" and then in Indianapolis the next week cheered "like he was the second coming."

- He talked about his Bells Palsy and how it got him fired from WWF, which he "didn't think was a real cool deal." He said the palsy forced him to tape his eye shut to get to sleep. He said he was scared to death to go out at Wrestlemania 15 for his return to announcing for the Austin v. Rock main event. He said he had to hold the paralyzed side of his face up with his hand that night while announcing so the words could come out of his mouth clearly.

- He stressed the fundamentals of storylines and that fans have to clearly understand why Wrestler A dislikes Wrestler B.

- He said he first saw wrestling at age 5 (he's 55 today). He got into the business in 1974 fresh out of college. He said the territories at one time were run by legitimate sports promoters, usually boxing guys who figured it made sense to get into wrestling because the arena and promotional structures were so similar. He said eventually the star wrestlers became more powerful and began to buy ownership in pieces of the territories. Eventually the boxing types were leveraged out. He said wrestlers were loyal to top draws in those days because they meant more money for everybody. JR called the wrestlers who rose to ownership positions in these days "alpha male, school yard bullies who were great athletes and imposed their will on their employees." JR said these guys were in the TV syndication business and didn't even know it. He said when legit sports promoters ran wrestling in the Oklahoma territory, for instance, the guys worked 6 days and had Sundays off. But when wrestlers took over, they were running on Sundays just because they could make more money.

- JR told some great stories about Leroy McGuirk, who ran things in his neck of the woods. JR described himself as an office gopher for McGuirk when he broke in, and felt like he had gotten into the Mafia once he got into the business. He said he would run around and buy everything McGuirk wanted, from a half pint of whiskey to presidential cigars. He bought them everyday. JR said Leroy would often lash out when he would get drunk and become self-conscious and angry about his partial blindness. JR said he learned a great deal listening to Leroy, including basic tenets like: you have a hero and you have a villian, and they need to be fighting over something everyone can relate to.

- JR said Leroy once flew off the handle when he heard his daughter was intimate with Ted Dibiase. Leroy started drinking the next morning and clutched his "Dirty Harry"-esque handgun. He told JR to accompany him from Tulsa to Shreveport with the gun in tow as JR realized "he was about to be an accessory to murder." "I was going from Tulsa to Shreveport to kill Ted Dibiase with my boss' gun," JR said. The crowd laughed hysterically at this. JR was 20 at the time. He said Leroy drove with his gun in his lap, barrel pointed at JR, and flicked the ashes from his cigar into a Folgers can as he drove. He said one of the ashes fell off the cigar into Leroy's lap, burning through his pants and sending the gun flying onto the dash. They pulled over to put out this fire in Leroy's crotch, and it was there that the hunt for Dibiase was called off. JR said Leroy's daughter went onto have unsuccessful relationships with two other wrestlers anyway. He said at the time a wrestler's daughter dating another wrestler was "the kiss of death."

- JR said he soon became a referee earning $25 to $40 a night. He said to save money the wrestlers wouldn't eat all day but would hit a cheap buffet at 2 a.m. until the waitstaff told them "you must go." JR said wrestlers would ride with him when he was a referee and pay him 2 cents a mile (300 miles = 6 bucks). He said said that extra 6 was a hell of a lot of money when you were making $40 a night. He said some of the wrestlers had pity for him because he was a guy who loved the business and took a lot of abuse in the ring and on the road but kept showing up. He said some of the wrestlers started to let him stay in their hotel for free and sleep on the floor.

- JR said he got into announcing one day when the territory's announcer didn't show up one night. He had experience from college radio so he said yes (he would've done anything as an alternative to getting roughed up all the time as a referee). Someone asked him "think you can do this kid?", he knew he could, he did, and his announcing career was underway.

- JR blew through his years at the NWA and WCW and jumped to Wrestlemania 9 when he made his WWF debut. He mentioned wearing a toga for that show and that Bobby Heenan had dared him to go commando under it. "I was too smart for it. I knew he was going to do something," JR said. Then in Jan. 94 he was stricken with Bells Palsy and fired when Vince said the company was going in another direction and didn't have a place for JR in it. "Then he got indicted," JR followed to laughs. He ripped on the feds for the McMahon investigation, saying they wasted millions of dollars "for a witch hunt." JR was needed back without Vince there, as no one was sure if Vince was going to be back. JR started back as an assistant in the talent relations department but not on TV because of the Bells Palsy, his southern accent and because he wasn't "a pretty little guy like Bob Costas."

- JR said Jerry Lawler on broadcasts wants to know even less than he does about what's going to happen in the ring. He said Lawler is much more talented in this respect than he is, as JR said he at least wants to know the finishes and where angles are headed. JR said Lawler sits at the annnounce table and doodles during commercials and then jumps right back into form when they return to the air.

- JR talked about what he looked for in talent relations. "I don't care about bodybuilders," he said. He talked about all the guys he hired in WWE including Austin, Foley and Rock. He said he hired Undertaker into WCW and told him to leave because they weren't going to do anything with him and JR didn't have the stroke to make upper management push him. JR said he had to fight Vince on hiring Foley and Austin. He said Vince agreed on Austin because he saw him as a tactician who could have good matches with lots of guys at the mid card level. He said Austin went on to make $13 million in one year. JR said he signed Rock to a $150,000 a year starting contract after he saw him work out and saw his physical attributes. JR said that kind of starting money was unheard of at the time in WWF, and Vince thought JR had lost his mind signing him for so much money.

- JR told the story of when he was announcing for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and he was trying to set up an interview with star player Deion "Prime Time" Sanders. Sanders told JR to hold on a minute while he asked "Prime Time" if he could grant the interview. Sanders returned a minute later, said he'd spoke to "Prime Time," and that the interview was on. Years later, JR suggested to Rock that he should try referring to himself in the third person in the same way, and thus "The Rock Says" was born.

- JR talked about WWE then going public and Vince got $160 million out of the initial public offering. He said they were on Spike TV, which he called a lousy network that nobody watched. Then the return to USA. He said two weeks before they were to return to USA, he was told by executive producer Kevin Dunn they were going to debut a new guy in the lead announcing slot. He asked if he could say goodbye to the fans for his last broadcast and was told no. JR said he was hurt and pissed at that, but refused to take on a "poor me" attitude, which he discouraged everyone from ever doing no matter what happens to you.

- JR said his replacement Mike Goldberg (who he named later) was hired for a half million dollars to work one day a week. So he went back home to Oklahoma and hung out in his backyard listening to the radio and barbecuing by the pool when he got another call from Dunn asking him if he could be in Dallas Monday. So he came back and tried his hardest to give a great performance. JR said Vince was angry because his return performance got a lot of top-shelf wrestlers behind JR, telling Vince not to let him go. JR said the guys wanted him because "he embellished their stories" and got them over. He said one of his qualities is that he doesn't take on the posture of a con man or hype man as an announcer, and you never feel like he's pitching you something with phony enthusiasm. He said he's a fan who works as a wrestling announcer, and that's why he has the connection and trust with the audience that he does. He called his then-replacement Joey Styles a good kid and said there's nothing wrong with him.

- JR then went into his surgery that year for a tumor in his colon. He said he had 13 inches of his intestines removed. He went home from surgery on a Monday and got a call from Vince, urging him to watch that night's RAW for a tremendous piece of business they were airing centered on JR. That was, of course, the skit where Vince pulled all the objects out of JR's ass including his head. JR said the bit should have been 1 or 2 minutes max or not aired at all, but instead it went 9 or 10 minutes. He said he "still doesn't understand what that message was supposed to be" with his head getting pulled out of his ass. He said he wasn't sure what it accomplished other than maybe make Vince more of an ass in the fans' eyes.

- He said once Styles took over he took on a role as a talent relations consultant. They called him again to do Saturday Night's Main Event. JR said he was very specific that he was only coming back to announce, not to get lit on fire, get beat up, or have anything pulled out of his ass. He said WWE wanted JR back to SNME because it was a duel-brand show and JR was "neutral." "I'm Geneva," JR joked. He was then asked to come back for Wrestlemania. JR said he was worried about what that would do to Styles in the eyes of the fans that they didn't have the confidence in him to put him in the chair for Mania. JR said he told WWE officials "you've just emasculated" Styles, and was told that Vince wanted JR back. So he came back. He said Vince always did what he felt was right for business, but sometimes it "doesn't go down right."

- JR said everybody blames Vince for killing the territories. He said he totally disagrees with that, blaming it on old-line promoters who didn't know anything about marketing, contracts, and a more sophisticated outlook on the business. "They were not prepared for business," JR said.

- JR said he expects astronomical growth in digital media in the years to come. But he said if PPV goes away, the WWE is in big trouble. He said he believes WWE helped create the PPV industry and conditioned people to buy it.

- JR said merchandise is a huge part of things, and that he likes fans who are defiant when they wear their WWE gear despite being ragged on by others their age for it.

- JR said 24/7 was his idea and patted himself on the back for it. He said he had the idea to purchase all kinds of tape libraries. He said they have 90,000 hours of footage now.

- He talked a bit about WWE films and gave some figures that made the Kane and Cena movies sound very profitable. He said it cost $8 million to produce (actual figure was $24 million The Marine. He put over The Condemned as a neat movie. He said it's based loosely on McMahon, as an evil promoter scours prisons to find hardened bad asses for a reality TV fight to the death on a remote island. He said Austin does a great job in the movie and he's happy for him

- He said WWE will produce good TV as long as they don't deviate from the fundamentals. He said RAW should be formulaic and episodic like "Dynasty and Dallas with headlocks and bodyslams."

- JR was asked about pushing wrestlers based on their ethnicity and appeal to different audience segments. He said WWE isn't as direct about that as you might think. He said WWE assumes Misterio is popular with the Hispanic audience in the same way Oscar de la Hoya is, but doesn't go much further with it than that. He said when he worked for Bill Watts they pushed JYD even though the attitude from a lot of wrestler-turned-promoter guys was that blacks should be in the semi-main so they didn't overshadow the caucasian alpha males.

- JR said they're trying to make WWE.com an attraction for news slowly but surely and not beating fans over the head urging them to log on every 10 minutes. He said it's a good way to get information out there from a company perspective. He said WWE knows the mainstream media is only going to cover them if something negative is going on, and mentioned the Sports Illustrated steroid story or whenever a wrestler gets arrested for drinking or brawling in some town somewhere. He said they'll cover steroids but not the fact that Wrestlemania next week is going to bring people together from all over the world and probably do 1 million buys on PPV. "That's good news and they don't want you to know that," he said. He called it the wrestling bias in the media. He said when Owen died, all anyone was asking him was whether the show should have continued. He said he shocked many people when he said he didn't think about that because he was too busy trying to process what had happened to his friend a few feet away from him in the ring. He seemed really agitated at the emphasis on the "should the show have gone on?" question. He said he can't remember what he said during the PPV where Owen died, and he has never gone back and watched the tape. He said if he writes a book he'll go back and watch it, but not for any other reason. Same goes for the tribute show the next night.

- JR said at his father's funeral a friend of his dad's came up to him with a quote. He said his dad once said he felt like JR "ran off, joined the circus and never came home." JR said he didn't disagree with that.

- JR said the next thing he's pushing hard for is a weekly, two hour XM or Sirius WWE live talk show.

- JR said he has trouble answering certain fan questions. He said he's sick of being asked if Randy Savage should be in the Hall of Fame. He once wrote that Savage earned it, should be in, and maybe should be brought in as a special attraction for Wrestlemania 25. He said WWE website brass told him to put the kibosh on putting Savage over.

- JR was asked about womens' role in the WWE. He said he used to work with some bad ass women but now the emphasis is undoubtedly on sex appeal and the women are asked to do a lot more than the men in terms of looking good and also being able to wrestle. He said the move toward looks might have contributed to Stratus and Lita deciding to get out. "I don't know if we'd have anybody working there if we didn't have breast augmentation," JR said.

- Chris Nowinski was in attendance, and JR referenced him when talking about bringing guys up too soon. He said Nowinski should have worked territories for five years before he was brought up, but "we killed him . . . he was picked too green." He said Nowinski was brought in at least 3 years too soon.

- He said he doesn't like to point to any particular guys in developmental, especially now that he's not heading talent relations, as the next big stars. He said it puts pressure on them when they get the JR endorsement. He did say that there's not one guy who jumps out at him in developmental right now that will be the next big thing. He said he knows Ring of Honor has good talent and that WWE should scout all ROH shows to see who they could use. He said this like he was tired of being aksed when WWE was going to bring in ROH guys. One fans asked about Paul Birchill, and JR said he has tremendous upside.

- JR mentioned that Vince Russo at one time wanted his job in talent relations. Russo not only wanted to write the shows but also control the hiring and firing and all that. He said Russo did a good job for a while but burned out and there was tension between them.

- JR was asked about wrestlers unionizing and said it would never happen because you can't get 10 wrestlers to agree where to go to dinner. He said Jesse Venutra had an idea like that at one time but Hogan found out and told Vince and that was the end of that. He said if he was a wrestler, of course he would like the tax-deferred income and benefits that he gets as a WWE corporate officer. He clarified the way road expenses work for the talent. He said all flights are paid for, and internationally everything from meals to rental car is paid for. Domestically you have to get your own rental car, which he said isn't that bad because a lot of guys split the cost. He also said all injuries and surgeries are covered.

- JR was asked about UFC's PPV success. He said he doesn't think the two audiences are as similar as we might think sometimes. He said their challenge is going to be creating new stars, especially since star fighters don't have the shelf life that a wrestler like Hogan or Flair can have in a worked environment. He struggled to come up with any other UFC names besides Shamrock and Ortiz when talking about who has made UFC successful. He didn't seem too aware of how UFC has done as good of or better a job creating stars in the past two years than WWE has.

- JR said Mania should be a great show because it's not overbooked.

[LWPD]

I have been in correspondance with Sam Ford, the MIT Instructor who is overseeing this 'comparative media study' on pro wres. Mr. Ford has been kind enough to share with me the enitre syllabus for this course. He has expressed a sincere interest in giving the topic of pro wres as comprehensive an overview as is possible while working with-in the constraints of time and topic focus.

After fully reading the mission statement and curriculum below...if anyone here has any recommendations of interest to add to the current syllabus...feel free to either post them here or send me a PM and I would be happy to present them to Mr. Ford.

I'll include the entire syllabus to meet everyone's curiosity with how this is being conducted. I'll break the posts into two parts for the purpose of readability. Enjoy this reference...and feel free to use it as a guide to learning!

CMS 602/CMS 997 Topics in Comparative Media: American Professional
Wrestling

Class Description:

This class will explore the cultural history and media industry surrounding the masculine drama of professional wrestling. Beginning with wrestling’s roots in sport and carnival, the class examines how new technologies and changes in the television industry led to evolution for pro wrestling style and promotion and how shifts in wrestling characters demonstrate changes in the depiction of American masculinity. The class will move chronologically in an examination of how wrestling characters and performances have changed, focusing particularly on the 1950s to the present. Students may have previous knowledge of wrestling but are not required to, nor are they required to be a fan (although it is certainly not discouraged, either).

In addition to scholarship and journalistic accounts of wrestling events and personalities, the class will also feature documentaries and an examination of pro wrestling performances through the years. Scholars who have researched and written about pro wrestling, such as Henry Jenkins and Sharon Mazer, will join the class throughout the semester, in addition to guests from the wrestling industry, such as former WWE World champion Mick Foley, the voice of the WWE“J.R.” Jim Ross, Harvard graduate Chris Nowinski, and others.

The hope of this course is to foster an understanding as to how new technologies and media formats have changed the course of pro wrestling through the years and also how pro wrestling’styles and methods of storytelling have changed through the decades. This class is both about the athletic demonstrations of actual pro wrestling matches and the constructions of the characters and stories that surround those exhibitions.

Viewing Materials

Many viewing materials will be watched as a class throughout the semester. If a student misses a class session, they are recommended to borrow the viewing from the instructor. Also, students are expected to watch a current wrestling show a few times during the semester. WWE has three shows: WWE RAW, Monday 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on USA; ECW, Tuesday, 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sci-Fi; and Friday Night Smackdown, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the CW Network.

One important point for in-class viewing: much of the semester will feature watching various wrestling performances. As is the case with fans of wrestling, whether live or televised, students are encouraged to talk during our in-class viewing of these products. There is a heavy amount of in-class viewing throughout the semester, but viewing and discussion is not meant to be mutually exclusive in this case.

Reading Materials

The required texts for this course are the following: Assael, Shaun and Mike Mooneyham. Sex, Lies, and Headlocks. New York: Crown, 2002.

Foley, Mick. Foley is Good and the Real World is Faker Than Wrestling. New York: Reagan Books, 2001.

Sammond, Nicholas, Editor. Steel Chair to the Head. Durham, NC: Duke UP, 2005.

Also, students are expected to read through the Wrestling Observer on a weekly basis throughout the semester and must use relevant information from that journalistic account of current events in wrestling for the class blog assignment and also for relevant in-class discussion. The newsletter is also intended to be a rich resource for the term paper as well. Students may purchase a semester subscription to the Observer, with subscription information to be e-mailed. The library also has copies of the weekly newsletter.

All other course materials will be made available through the class’ Stellar Web site.

Attendance Policy

There will be none. Students must attend regularly to complete the assignments.

Class Assignments

50 percent Class Blog 30 percent Term Paper 20 percent In-Class Participation Class Blog

One of the major undertakings of the class will be a class blog, which will be public through Blogger. Each member of the class is expected to write a minimum of two new posts each week (a few paragraphs in length) and make a minimum of four comments (of at least one paragraph)to the posts of colleagues each week. Graduate students will be required to write three blog posts each week and make a minimum of five comments. These updates cannot all be done in one setting. This is not meant to be a burden but rather the most significant part of the class and is where I see the majority of the class’ potential in lying. Think of this as a conversation, and please use the blog as such.

The intent of the class blog is to foster a continuous discussion about reading materials, in-class viewings, points made by guest lecturers, and information from the current wrestling product and Wrestling Observer. Because there is not substantial time for discussion of all materials in class,students are expected to show familiarity with readings and with out-of-class viewings and the Observer through this discussion. The blog will also serve as an outlet for further discussions of viewings, since class time will not always allow for full discussion of what we have seen. Also,students will write about characters they choose to profile on the blog for each wrestling era.


The current plan is to make this blog public. While our discussions may be somewhat insular in that it will be focused around the readings and viewings we are currently immersed in as a class,interested members from the general public may read students’ comments. If anyone is uncomfortable with this public aspect of the blogosphere, please let me know. Such a class blog about pro wrestling will not likely attract massive traffic but could generate some interest from interested individuals.

Term Paper

The class is intentionally most reading-heavy in the first half of the semester, to give students a background in the history and development of pro wrestling and to allow more time for working on the term paper throughout the second half of the term. Reading materials, in-class viewings, and guests are all meant to provide potential sources and further avenues of research for the class.

Students are expected to have picked a topic by Friday, March 02, and to schedule a meeting time with me during the next two weeks. A proposal for the paper is due by Friday, March 16. An outline or equivalent writing sample is due by Friday, April 06. Students are expected to meet with me a second time before deadline.

Students are more than welcome to turn in a version of the paper early for feedback and may do so throughout the term if so motivated. However, the final version of the term paper is due by Monday, May 21. The term paper shall be approximately 11-15 pages for undergraduates and 15-20 pages for graduate students. Meeting the deadlines of the term paper is reflected in the overall grade.

The term paper may be on any topic as long as it is approved through discussion with the instructor. The intent is for students to be able to bring their own expertise and interests into the course and apply them to this study of pro wrestling. A wide variety of topics, analytical angles and writing styles are acceptable if used effectively.

In-Class Participation

While there is a large amount of in-class viewing scheduled throughout the semester, the intent is for continuous discussion. The idea is that in-class discussion will both drive further debate in the blog and can also incorporate reaction to what classmates have written in the blog. Often, the intent of in-class discussions will be reactions to guest speakers, viewings, or readings, but canals include material from the current product or the Observer.

Official WWE Involvement

World Wrestling Entertainment has taken an active interest in this course and are sending a few guest speakers up throughout the course of the semester. The intent is for the class to provide slink with WWE, in that they are interested in the trajectory of our research throughout the semester, as well as our term paper projects. WWE is particularly interested in better understanding their fans and their fans’ relationship with the WWE product and are interested in conversing with us on this account. Throughout the semester, there may be times for class discussion or debate through e-mail regarding questions posed by the WWE. All interaction with the WWE is voluntary on students’ part and is not mandatory for graded course work.

[LWPD]

Comparative Media Studies: Pro Wrestling Syllabus Continued
[i
W Feb. 7 Introduction to Course.

Viewings:

Ladder Match: London & Kendrick vs. Regal & Taylor vs. MNM vs. Hardys 29 mins.
Beginning: The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling 39 mins.

T Feb. 8 Pre-Television Wrestling

Viewings:
Finish The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling 57 mins.

Readings:

Morton, Gerald W. and George M. O’Brien. “Demise and Rebirth: The Cyclic History of Wrestling.”

Wrestling to Rasslin’: Ancient Sport to American Spectacle. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State UP, 1985, 3-45.

Molinaro, John. The Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time. Toronto: Winding Stair P, 2002.

“George Hackenschmidt,”114. “Frank Gotch,” 62-63. “Ed ‘Strangler’ Lewis,” 66-67.

Kerrick, George E. “Miscellany: The Jargon of Professional Wrestling.” American Speech 55.2 (Summer 1980): 142-145.
Other: Pick 1950s Wrestler to Profile.

M Feb. 12 1950s Television

Viewings:
Jim Londos vs. Primo Carnera 16 mins.
Gorgeous George vs. Jesse James 24 mins.
Killer Kowaksi vs. Edouard Carpentier 16 mins.
Antonino Rocca vs. Benito Gardini 9 mins.
Lou Thesz vs. Vic Christy 8 mins.
Buddy Rogers vs. Pat O’Conner 32 mins.
The Fabulous Moolah vs. Joyce Grable 8 mins.
Andre the Giant vs. “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd 19 mins.
Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook vs. Little Louie and Sonny Boy Hayes 29 mins.

Readings:

Griffin, Marcus. Fall Guys: The Barnums of Bounce. Chicago: Reilly and Lee, 1937, 39-58.

Molinaro, John. Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time, “Jim Londos,” 64-65. “Gorgeous George,” 74-75. “Antonino Rocca,” 153.

Boeck, Brian J. “Book Reviews: Hooker.” Journal of American Culture 21.4 (Winter 1998), 89.

Meltzer, Dave. “Lou Thesz.” Tributes II: Remembering More of the World’s Greatest Professional Wrestlers. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing, 2004, 220-239.

Meltzer, Dave. “Buddy Rogers.” Tributes: Remembering Some of the World’s Greatest Wrestlers. Toronto: Winding Star P, 2001, 114-119.

Meltzer, Dave. “Andre the Giant.” Tributes II, 66-81.Thesz, Lou and Kit Bauman. Hooker: An Authentic Wrestler’s

Adventures Inside the Bizarre World of Professional Wrestling, 2nd Ed.. Norfolk, Va.: Lou Thesz, 1995, 87-99, 112-124.

Jares, Joe. “Whatever Happened to Gorgeous George?” Whatever Happened to Gorgeous George? Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice- Hall, 1974, 11-23.


W Feb. 14 Women in Wrestling

Viewing:
Lipstick and Dynamite 80 mins.

Readings:
Beverly, Forest Steven. A History of Professional Wrestling as Television Programming.

Master’s thesis, Auburn: Auburn U, 1989, 24-30, 33-37, 54-56, 66-86.
Dell, Chad. “Wrestling with the Mainstream Press.” The Revenge of Hatpin Mary: Women,

Professional Wrestling and Fan Culture in the 1950s. New York: Peter Lang, 2006, 31-46.

T Feb. 15 Introduction to the Territories: The NWA

Viewings:
Bruiser Brody vs. Dennis Brown 2 mins.
Jack Brisco vs. Dory Funk Jr. 36 mins.
Mark Lewin vs. Terry Funk 10 mins.
Greg Valentine vs. Roddy Piper 21 mins.
Dusty Rhodes Interview 5 mins.
Dusty Rhodes vs. Harley Race 16 mins.

Readings:
Molinaro, John. Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time. “Terry Funk,” 86-87. “Dory Funk Jr,” 96. “Dusty Rhodes,” 106-107. “Jack Brisco,” 122-123. “Harley Race,”

124-125.
Anderson, Ole. “The Psychology of Booking.” Inside Out: How Corporate America Destroyed Pro Wrestling. 171-180.
Anderson, Ole. “Be-eee There!” Inside Out, 210-214.
Matysik, Larry. “Sam & Me, Part II.” Wrestling at the Chase, 53-69.
Matysik, Larry. “Ring the Bell For Jack Brisco vs. Dory Funk, Jr.”

Wrestling at the Chase, 92-94Martin, William C. “Friday Night at the Coliseum.” Atlantic Monthly 229 (March 1972): 83-87.
Other: Pick Two Territorial Wrestlers to Profile. M Feb. 19 NO LAB President’s Day

W Feb. 21 The AWA, Part I

Viewings:
Verne Gagne vs. Butcher Boy Hennig 9 mins.
High Flyers vs. Bockwinkel and Stevens 18 mins.
AWA Promos and Clips from The Wrestler 26 mins.
The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA 28 minutes

Readings:
Barthes, Roland. “The World of Wrestling.” Tr Annette Lavers. Steel

Chair to the Head, 23-32.
Molinaro, John. Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time. “Verne Gagne,” 82-83. “Nick Bockwinkel,” 104-105.

Stone, Gregory P. & Ramon A. Oldenburg. “Wrestling.” Motivations in Play, Games and Sports. Ed. Ralph Slovenko & James A. Knight. Springfield, IL: CC Thomas, 1967, 503-532.


T Feb. 22 The AWA, Part II

Viewings:

The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA 83 minutes.

Readings:

Freedman, Jim. “Will the Sheik Use His Blinding Fireball? The Ideology of Professional Wrestling.” The Celebration of Society: Perspectives on Contemporary Cultural Performance. Ed. Frank E. Manning. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State U Popular P, 1983, 67-79.

Gutowski, John A. “The Art of Professional Wrestling: Folk Expression in MassCulture.” Keystone Folklore Quarterly 7.2 (Summer 1972): 41-50.

Workman, Mark. E. “The Differential Perception of Popular Dramatic Events.” Keystone Folklore Quarterly 23 (Summer 1979): 1-10.

M Feb. 26
World Class Championship Wrestling

Viewings:
World Class Intro/Bugsy McGraw Promo 4 min.
Heroes of World Class: The Story of the Von Erichs 160 mins.

Readings:

Freedman, Jim. Drawing Heat. Windsor, Ont., Canada: Black Moss, 1988, 7-80 and pictures.

Meltzer, Dave. “Fritz Von Erich.” Tributes, 62-69.

W Feb. 28 World Wide Wrestling Federation

Viewings:
WWE Clips 26 mins.
Pedro Morales vs. Ivan Koloff 15 min.
Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko 13 min.
Bob Backlund vs. Jimmy Snuka 15 mins.
Pat Patterson vs. Sgt. Slaughter 18 mins.

Readings:
Freedman, Jim. Drawing Heat. Windsor, Ont., Canada: Black Moss, 1988, 94-149.

Molinaro, John. “Bruno Sammartino.” Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time, 70-71.

T March 1 Detroit Wrestling/Discussion of Drawing Heat

Viewings:
The Sheik vs. Bobo Brazil 6 min.
Detroit Wrestling Intro 4 min.
Clips from I Like to Hurt People 25 mins.

Readings:
Freedman, Jim. Drawing Heat. Windsor, Ont., Canada: Black Moss, 1988, 150-190.

Meltzer, Dave. “The Sheik.” Tributes II, 82-93.

M March 5 Memphis Wrestling/Andy Kaufman

Viewings:
I’m From Hollywood 60 mins.
Excerpt from Man on the Moon 24 mins.
USWA Intro and Jerry Lawler Interview 2 mins.
Show My Breakfast with Blassie as time allows Up to 57 mins.

Readings:

Craven, Gerald and Richard Moseley. “Actors on a Canvas Stage: The
Dramatic Conventions of Professional Wrestling.” Journal of Popular Culture 6.2 (Fall 1972), 326-336.

Mazer, Sharon. “Watching Wrestling/Writing Performance.” Hop on Pop: The Politics and Pleasures of Popular Culture.Ed. Henry Jenkins,Tara

McPherson and Jane Shattuc. Durham,
NC: Duke UP, 2002, 270-286.
Williams, Randall. “Tonight the Hulk vs. Ox Baker.” Southern Exposure 7.3 (1979): 30-35.

Meltzer, Dave. “Freddie Blassie.” Tributes II, 14-27.

Molinaro, John. “Jerry Lawler.” Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time, 161.

Special Guest: Chris Nowinski.

W March 7 WWE in the 1980s

Viewings:
WWE Clips 36 mins.
Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage 28 mins.

Readings:

Ford, Sam. “Role-Playing in the Stands: A Symbolic Interactionist Ethnography of Professional Wrestling Fans.” In revision process, Journal of Contemporary Ethnography.

Benaka, Lee. Interviews with Lou Thesz, Bruno Sammartino, Dave Meltzer.

Molinaro, John. Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time. “Hulk Hogan,” 26-32. “Randy Savage,” 144-145. “Roddy Piper,” 162-163.

Special Guest: Lee Benaka.

Other: Pick 1980s Wrestler to Profile.

T March 8 WWE in the Late 1980s through mid-1990s

Viewings:

WWE Clips Late 1980s to Mid-1990s 87 mins.

Readings:

Campbell, John W. “Professional Wrestling: Why the Bad Guy Wins.” Journal of American Culture 19.2 (Summer 1996), 127-132.

Grubisic, Brett Josef. “Testing Mettle: Goldust and the Spectacle of Masculinity in the World of Wrestling.” Popular Culture Review 10.1 ( 1999), 139-156.

Molinaro, John. The Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time. “Bret Hart,” 90-91. “The Undertaker,”

157. “Shawn Michaels,” 138-139. “Mick Foley,” 147-148. “Steve Austin,” 50-55. “Rock,” 72-73. “Kurt Angle” and “Chris Benoit,” 202-204. “Triple H,” 204-205. “Chris Jericho,” 205. Other: Pick 1990s Wrestler to Profile.


M March 12 NWA/WCW in the 1980s and Early 1990s

Viewings:
NWA/WCW Clips 58 mins.
The Rock and Roll Express vs. The Andersons 15 mins.
The Midnight Express vs. The Road Warriors. 6 mins.
Ric Flair vs. Rick Steamboat 41 mins.
Sting vs. Big Van Vader. 21 mins.

Readings:

Molinaro, John. “Ric Flair.” The Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time, 1-7.

Anderson, Ole. “Skyrocketing Expenses.” Inside Out, 265-269.
Anderson, Ole. “Corporate Duh-Merica.” Inside Out, 279-293.
Matysik, Larry. “The War.” Wrestling at the Chase, 175-193.
Trujillo, Nick, et al. “A Night with the Narcissist and The Nasty Boys: Interpreting the World Wrestling Federation.” Qualitative Inquiry 6.4 (Dec 2000), 526-545.

Special Guest: Josh Shea.

W March 14 The Monday Night War, Part I

Viewings:
The Monday Night War First 62 mins.
Rey Misterio vs. Psicosis 16 mins.
Goldberg vs. Johnny Attitude 5 mins.

Readings:

Anderson, Ole. “Spending Ted’s Money.” Inside Out, 315-323.

Bischoff, Eric with Jeremy Roberts. “Running the Show.” Controversy Creates Cash. New York: Pocket Books, 2006, 81-113.

Bischoff, Eric. Excerpt from “Prime Time.” Controversy Creates Cash, 145-166.

T March 15 The Monday Night War, Part II

Viewings:
The Monday Night War Last 33 mins.
Steve Austin vs. Dude Love 42 mins.

Reading:

Reynolds, R.D. and Bryan Alvarez. “1998: Momentum is Money.” The
Death of WCW, Toronto: ECW P, 2004, 117-165.

M March 19 Masculine Melodrama and Getting’ Screwed

Viewing:
Wrestling with Shadows 93 mins.
Readings:
Jenkins, Henry III. “Never Trust a Snake: WWF Wrestling as Masculine
Melodrama.” Steel

Chair to the Head, 33-66.

Ford, Sam. “Excellence of Execution: Vince McMahon’s Incorporation of Expose into Fiction.”

Plagens, Peter. “Pinning Reality to the Mat.” Chronicle of Higher Education 24 Sept. 1999, B9.

Special Guest: Henry Jenkins III


W March 21 Good Ol’ J.R., Part I

Reading:
Assael, Shaun and Mike Mooneyham. Sex, Lies, and Headlocks, Chapters 1-5.
Special Guest: Jim Ross

T March 22 Good Ol’ J.R., Part II

Reading:
Sex, Lies, and Headlocks, Chapters 6-9.
Special Guest: Jim Ross

M March 26 SPRING BREAK
W March 28 SPRING BREAK
T March 29 SPRING BREAK

M April 2 McMahon, Part I

Viewings:
A Current Affair Clips from Steroid Case 5 mins.
McMahon 129 mins.

Readings:
Sex, Lies, and Headlocks, Chapters 10-17, and “Our Story Since Then.”
Anderson, Ole. “Mis-Management.” Inside Out, 360-370.
Anderson, Ole. “Nothing New Under the Sun.” Inside Out, 371-378.
McNeil, Bryce. Foot on the Rope: Corporate Apologics and the

Discourse of Vince McMahon. Master’s thesis, University of Maine, 2002, 61-104.

W April 4 McMahon, Part II

Readings:
Foley, Mick. Foley is Good, Introduction and Chapters 1-8.
Special Guest: Bryce McNeil

T April 5Viewings:

WWE Clips 40 mins.
The Rock vs. Chris Jericho 23 mins.
WWE Attitude Era
Reading:
Foley is Good, Chapters 9-17.
Special Guest: Dave Schwartz

M April 9 Viewing:

The Rise and Fall of ECW 165 mins.
ECW

Reading:
Foley, Mick. Foley is Good, Chapters 18-34.

W April 11 Mick Foley, Part I

Reading:
Foley, Mick. Foley is Good, Epilogue.
Gantz, Walter. “WWF RAW Study.” Indiana University and Inside Edition.
Special Guest: Mick Foley, Teleconference with Walter Gantz?

T April 12 Mick Foley, Part II

Reading:
Ford, Sam. “Mick Foley: Pro Wrestling and the Contradictions of the Contemporary American

Hero.” Bodies of Discourse - Sport Stars, Media and the Global Public. Ed. Michael Real, Cornel Sandvoss, and Alina Bernstein. Cresskill, N.J.: Hampton P, forthcoming 2007.
Special Guest: Mick Foley

M April 16 NO LAB Patriot’s Day

W April 18 WWE as Transmedia EmpireReading:

Ford, Sam. “Vince McMahon: Creating a Wrestling Media Empire.”

Undergraduate honors thesis, Western Kentucky University, 2005.
Special Guest: Tom Barreca

T April 19 The Death of Owen Hart
Viewing:
Clips Re: Owen Hart’s Death 43 mins.

Reading:
Meltzer, Dave. “Owen Hart.” Tributes II, 2-13.
Wright, Benjamin P. Wrestling with Reality: Hyper reality Examined in the World Wrestling Federation. Master’s Thesis, Wake Forest University, 2001, 48-73

M April 23 Ethnographies of Pro Wrestlers’ Lives, Part I
Viewings:
Beyond the Mat 108 mins.
The Mania of Wrestlemania 43 mins.

Reading:
Mazer, Sharon. “Real Life.” Steel Chair to the Head, 91-112.

W April 25 Ethnographies of Pro Wrestlers’ Lives, Part II
Reading:

De Garis, Lawrence. “The Logic of Professional Wrestling.” Steel
Chair to the Head, 219-243.
Special Guests: Sharon Mazer and Larry DeGaris.

T April 26 Contemporary Pro Wrestling

Viewing:
Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle 40 mins.

Reading:
Sammond, Nicholas. “Squaring the Family Circle: WWF Smackdown Assaults the Social Body.”

Steel Chair to the Head, 155-188.
Special Guest: Gregory Spicer, Fiona McQuarrie.
Other: Pick 2000s Wrestler to Profile.

M April 30 Wrestling and Masculinity

Viewings:
Jesse Ventura Biography Clips 23 mins.
Wrestling with Manhood 60 mins.

Readings:
Katz, Jackson and Sut Jhally. “Manhood on the Mat.” The Boston Globe, 13 February 2000, E1.

Jenkins, Henry III. “Wrestling with Theory, Grappling with Politics” Steel Chair, 295-316.

Jenkins, Henry IV. “Growing Up and Growing More Risque.” Steel Chair
to the Head, 317-342.

Special Guest: Henry Jenkins III, Bruce Hardy.


W May 2 Wrestling as Performance and Parody

Viewings:

Right to Censor Clips 11 mins.
Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog 31 mins.

Reading:

Lowney, Kathleen S. “Wrestling with Criticism: The World Wrestling
Federation’s Ironic Campaign Against the Parents Television Council.”

Symbolic Interaction 26.3 (2003), 427-446Special Guest: David Everard.

T May 3 Contemporary WWE, Part I

Viewing:

Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels vs. HHH 37 mins.

Reading:

Battema, Douglas and Philip Sewell. “Trading in Masculinity: Muscles, Money, and Market Discourse in the WWF.” Steel Chair to the Head, 260-294.

Special Guest: Mark Volzer


M May 7 Contemporary WWE, Part II

Viewings:

Eddie Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko 33 mins.
Lie, Cheat, Steal: The Eddie Guerrero Story 45 mins.
JBL Clips 37 mins.

Reading:
Serrato, Phillip. “Not Quite Heroes: Race, Masculinity, and Latino Professional Wrestlers.”

Steel Chair to the Head, 232-259.
Seiter, Ellen. “Wrestling with the Web: Latino Fans and Symbolic Violence.” The Internet Playground, 63-82.

Ford, Sam and Amanda Ford. “‘Morning in America’: The Reign of WWE’s JBL and a Parody of Conservative Politics.” Unpublished essay.
“John Bradshaw Layfield for President 2008” Web site, “JBL Protects Our American Borders” Video, www.johnnyleeclary.com/john_bradshaw_layfield.htm.

Special Guest: Ryan Diesem

W May 9 Contemporary WWE, Part III
Reading:
Ford, Sam. “World Wrestling Entertainment in Japanese Culture in the 21st Century.”

Special Guest: Chris Nowinski.

T May 10 Women Wrestlers, Female Fans

Viewings:
The Jumping Bomb Angels vs. The Glamour Girls 18 mins.
Trish Stratus vs. Jazz vs. Victoria 11 mins.

Reading:

Salmon, Catherine and Susan Clerc. “’Ladies Love Wrestling, Too’: Female Wrestling Fans Online.” Steel Chair to the Head, 167-191.

Special Guest: Sue Clerc.

M May 14 Contemporary WWE

Viewings:
RAW: John Cena and K-Fed 10 mins.
RAW: John Cena vs. Edge 23 mins.
ECW: The Big Show vs. Sabu 13 mins.
ECW: C.M. Punk vs. Justin Credible 6 mins.
ECW: RVD vs. Hardcore Holly 17 mins.
Smackdown: Batista vs. Finaly vs. Booker T vs. Bobby Lashley 25 mins.

Readings:

Rahilly, Lucia. “Is RAW War? Professional Wrestling as Popular S/M Narrative.” Steel

Chair to the Head, 213-231.

W May 16 Wrapping Up.

Viewings:

TNA and/or Indy Wrestling TBD
Other: Presentation of Final Research Projects; Final Discussions.

T May 17 Wrapping Up.

Viewings:

TNA and/or Indy Wrestling and/or Wrestlers on Film TBD
Other: Presentation of Final Research Projects; Final Discussions.
[/i]

[Knapik]

Really fantastic thread, LWPD, thanks!

[Vidtek]

A few points I find most interesting about this lecture...

lwpd said:

- JR talked about how wrestling fans get ridiculed in their peer groups growing up. He used the Foley line about their being more fake people in the real world than in wrestling, including network TV executives "and their posses" as well as people on Wall Street. He called many of them "phony as a 3 dollar bill."

OK, I can believe that.

- JR said the wrestling biz is running out of great storytellers. He said new guys are in too much of a hurry when they perform and are brought up too fast.

- He stressed the fundamentals of storylines and that fans have to clearly understand why Wrestler A dislikes Wrestler B.

- He said WWE will produce good TV as long as they don't deviate from the fundamentals. He said RAW should be formulaic and episodic like "Dynasty and Dallas with headlocks and bodyslams."

These three make the least sense, at least taken as a group. The WWE is running out of storytellers but they only want to use a formulaic/episodic style show? Fans have to know why the wrestlers "dislike" each other? Two guys can't just wrestle? And it's not like the writers are coming up with any clear storylines...well, OK they wheren't for a while there...

- He said he doesn't like to point to any particular guys in developmental, especially now that he's not heading talent relations, as the next big stars. He said it puts pressure on them when they get the JR endorsement. He did say that there's not one guy who jumps out at him in developmental right now that will be the next big thing. He said he knows Ring of Honor has good talent and that WWE should scout all ROH shows to see who they could use. He said this like he was tired of being aksed when WWE was going to bring in ROH guys. One fans asked about Paul Birchill, and JR said he has tremendous upside.

See, the WWE does know ROH exisits and at least one guy on the payroll thinks they should hire more guys from them. So it not just musclebound men in tight pants.........well if JR was still in charge and Vince wasn't an egomaniac.

- JR said Mania should be a great show because it's not overbooked.

Spoken like the true company man. A show that has two main events, one featuring the possible end to the longest winning streak in WM history, the "Battle of the Billionaires," Benoit, Kane v. Khali, and Money in the Bank isn't "overbooked?" I'm more woried about it being overpriced. But that's just me.
Big Time

[stephenvegas]

This looks like a great class.

Especially in the early part of the course, lots of the readings and or/films are on LOW wrestlers like Jim Londos, Gorgeous George, Antonino Rocca, and Buddy Rogers. After taking that class, I wouldn't be surprised if some of those students would like to start playing LOW.

[LWPD]

Thanks Knapik and Mr. Vegas. Upon review Mr. Ford has been kind enough to 'endorse' my Good Pro Wres Project thread as a 'resource of interest'. He'll be introducing the link to those partaking in his class....so the students will be introduced to this board and by extension LOW.

I've also been told that the special guest seminars will be made freely available (after editing) on the official blog in a Podcast form. There are no plans for any video releases.

LWPD (endorsed by MIT)

[Chris Ingersoll]

T May 10 Women Wrestlers, Female Fans

Viewings:
The Jumping Bomb Angels vs. The Glamour Girls 18 mins.
Trish Stratus vs. Jazz vs. Victoria 11 mins.

Interesting. In my experience, most female fans are there because of the men's ringwork (and, yes, physiques) and not because of excellent women's matches (of which those two definitley qualify). My wife may have enjoyed Lita v. Stephanie (which I believe was the hot women's feud at the time she was introduced to wrestling), but it was WCW's cruiserweights that really solidified her as a fan.

[swarm]

lwpd said:

Thanks Knapik and Mr. Vegas. Upon review Mr. Ford has been kind enough to 'endorse' my Good Pro Wres Project thread as a 'resource of interest'. He'll be introducing the link to those partaking in his class....so the students will be introduced to this board and by extension LOW.

I've also been told that the special guest seminars will be made freely available (after editing) on the official blog in a Podcast form. There are no plans for any video releases.

LWPD (endorsed by MIT)

Read this again people...

S T R O N G !

IN YO FACE PAINT HATERS!!!!!!!

LWPD = PAY ATTENTION KIDS YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING

[LWPD]

Coming next in the series this Thursday...

The Real World’s Faker than Wrestling: Former WWE Champion and Best-Selling Author Mick Foley (Colloquium)

Mick Foley, one of the top wrestling performers of the past decade, will talk about his experiences as an entertainer and bestselling author who has written three memoirs (including Foley Is Good: And the Real World is Faker Than Wrestling) two novels, and a variety of children’s books. Foley has been a professional wrestler since the mid-1980s and was a headlining star for World Wrestling Entertainment (www.wwe.com) under the personas of Mankind, Cactus Jack and Dude Love. Foley will discuss telling stories in a variety of written and performative genres and how he has managed to bridge the gap across multiple genres and entertainment forms.

LWPD (Mick Foley partaking in this seminar at MIT will be a must experience once the POD Casts go up)

[mwjergs]

Incredible and quite extensive.
I'm finishing up my Master's in Secondary Education this May. Perhaps I need a thirty beyond in ring psychology.
LWPD - does NOT get the gas face!

[Subvert69]

Where was this class when I went to college?

[LWPD]

mwjergs said:

Incredible and quite extensive.
I'm finishing up my Master's in Secondary Education this May. Perhaps I need a thirty beyond in ring psychology.
LWPD - does NOT get the gas face!

elroy.. elroy.. elroy cohen, gets the gas face!
Hahahahahahahaha

Here's an insightful article on Sam Ford and the class in action...

Courtesy of Boston.com

At MIT, students are credited with Smackdown
College credit for watching TV? Area students dig into the 'cultural significance' -- and the water-cooler back stories -- of popular shows.

By Emily Sweeney, Globe Staff | April 11, 2007

CAMBRIDGE -- On a recent Thursday afternoon, a dozen students gathered inside classroom 169 in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Whitaker Building. They were there to grapple with tough topics and contemplate questions such as this: How did Kevin Federline manage to launch a new career with World Wrestling Entertainment ?

Indeed, that's a puzzling concept some academics might shy away from. But not in this class. The guest lecturer that day was Jim Ross -- known to wrestling fans around the country as "Good Ol' J.R.," the veteran ringside announcer for the WWE -- and he had the answer. Federline, a rapper known more for his marriage to Britney Spears than for any athletic prowess, made his wrestling debut when he got bodyslammed by WWE champ John Cena in October. How did this come to be? Well, Federline "was a pop - culture flavor of the week," said Ross, in his Oklahoma drawl, "and -- not to be crass here -- he needed the work."

Such discussions are a normal part of the newest full-credit course offering in MIT's Comparative Media Studies program: "American Pro Wrestling." The class explores the history of an American institution that brings athleticism, theatrical performance, and choreographed stunt work together in a square, roped-off ring. During the semester, students watch dozens upon dozens of wrestling matches, from 1980s clashes between Hulk Hogan and Randy "Macho Man" Savage to modern-day battles on "Monday Night Raw." Students examine how technology has transformed wrestling into a multimedia business, and how the styles and storytelling methods have changed over the years. The required reading on the syllabus includes colorful titles such as "Steel Chair to the Head" and "Sex, Lies, and Headlocks."

This quirky addition to the MIT course catalog was the brainchild of grad student Sam Ford, who designed and teaches the curriculum. The class has created buzz on the campus and beyond. One blogger called it "The Undisputed End of Higher Education." Ford said a radio station in California called the class "a sign of the apocalypse."

Why study wrestling? Ford hopes students "use the class to learn more about how to critically analyze, discuss, and write about the popular culture they consume." And he's not the only one who sees the academic value of it.

"We've been very supportive of this course," said Henry Jenkins , director of the Comparative Media Studies program. "The WWE is one of the most successful -- and innovative -- media franchises out there today." Jenkins -- who has an essay in "Steel Chair to the Head: The Pleasure and Pain of Professional Wrestling" -- said wrestling is worth studying because it's one of the oldest forms of entertainment, one with ties to vaudeville and theater. At the same time, he said, it's also a "window to the working-class culture in the United States."

Continued...

[LWPD]

Continued...

Since February, the students have been studying the flamboyant heroes and villains on the pro wrestling circuits, and the cultural evolution of these brawny characters and their friendships and feuds. Ross told the class that pro wrestling's soap - opera story lines are reminiscent of prime-time dramas such as "Dynasty" or "Dallas," but with "headlocks instead of guns."

The class also maintains a group blog (mitcmsprowrestling.blogspot.com), where students post commentary about matches ("Flair actually wins with a pretty standard wrestling move, not his figure four leg lock"); discuss the motivation of the characters ("The relationship of Dave and Robbie is one that seems to be repeated over and over in wrestling -- the promoter/ booker taking in the downtrodden, punky kid and making something of them while also providing them with a sense of family"); and even their appearance ("when Hulk Hogan first entered the WWF, he was supposed to have red hair").

In the world of academia, the topic of professional wrestling does come up from time to time, most often in courses on pop culture. But only a handful of schools offer courses entirely on pro wrestling. One is the University of Victoria , in British Columbia, Canada, which offers a fine arts course titled "Professional Wrestling as Theatre." Another is Penn State Altoona , which offers a business seminar titled "The Professional Wrestling Industry." (No doubt, it is a big business: WWE generated $415 million in 2006.)

Ford helped design and teach the curriculum for a class on pro wrestling while he was pursuing his undergraduate degree at Western Kentucky University . He co-taught the class in the spring of 2005. A longtime fan of wrestling, Ford said he was fascinated by "the verbal wit and serialized story lines that stretch 52 weeks a year .

"And, most of all, I'm impressed with how pro wrestling, as compared to most other types of media presentations in our culture, allows for the audience to be a central part of the show, through the ways that the crowd itself performs."

Ford has first-hand knowledge: He moonlighted as a professional wrestling manager and occasionally performs for Universal Championship Wrestling in Kentucky. He plays the role of the league owner, an "arrogant intellectual" who defected from Kentucky to Cambridge. No stage name here -- even in the ring, he goes by Sam Ford.

Ford lamented that much of the academic attention devoted to pro wrestling was "often looking at how pro wrestling may lead to imitative behaviors or an increase of violence and aggression." He wanted to offer a class that "took professional wrestling seriously as more than just some danger for our children and our society."

But his enthusiasm was not shared by everyone at Western Kentucky. Ford said some faculty members expressed disdain for professional wrestling, and others questioned why an undergraduate was helping teach a college-level course. All of the skepticism "just made me that much more determined," Ford said.

After he graduated in May 2005, he moved to Cambridge to attend MIT's Comparative Media Studies program. He floated the idea for another course on pro wrestling. The proposal was embraced by faculty and students, 12 of whom registered for the course. It's a diverse group -- eight men and four women, a mix of graduate students and undergrads. There are wrestling fans majoring in computer science and engineering, and students who didn't know much about wrestling but were intrigued the phenomenon.

Before taking the class, Rob Stott had very little exposure to pro wrestling.

"If anything, I looked down on it a bit, though mostly I just didn't think much of it," Stott, a senior undergraduate pursuing a joint major in comparative media studies and computer science, said in an e-mail. "When we first started watching wrestling matches for class, I approached them in a very distant and academic way, and think I was able to appreciate them as entertainment for their intended audience, though not personally. However, over time, certain characters have started to really stick with me, and I find myself starting to just genuinely look forward to and enjoy seeing them wrestle.

"So, would I say that it has turned me into a fan? I don't think so, though it has turned me into someone who can at least enjoy and appreciate wrestling to some extent, which is a big change."

The class meets three times a week and occasionally features guest speakers such as Ross; Sharon Mazer, author of "Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle"; Harvard- grad-turned- pro- wrestler Christopher Nowinski, who retired from the WWE in 2003; and Mick Foley , a bearded, burly WWE World champion-turned - bestselling author. Foley's lecture tomorrow , which takes place at 5 p.m. in Building 54 (Green Building), is open to the public, free of charge.

Much of the class time is devoted to watching matches on video or DVD. Ford encourages his students to talk during the matches, and discuss what's taking place on the screen, just as regular wrestling fans do.

"Nobody ever watches pro wrestling in silence," he said.

(Admin Edit: Killed italics.)

[LWPD]

Here's a review of Mick Foley's Seminar at MIT:

Courtesy of BHeardProductions Myspace

Mick Foley at MIT

I just got back from seeing Mick Foley speak at MIT this evening. This was an open forum in conjunction with a class entitled "American Pro Wrestling" that is being offered at MIT. The class has a blog they must post on every week. Here is a link the blog: mitcmsprowrestling.blogspot.com/

The following are some notes I wrote down through out the forum:

The crowd was mostly made up of college students. There were a few older people there as well as three young kids. It seemed like a majority of the crowd were long time fans. Any time Foley mentioned Cena the crowd would let Mick know that they weren't Cena fans.

Sam Ford, the professor of the class, introduced Mick Foley and had Foley come out to Dude Love's theme music. Everyone applauded but Mick said he was embarrassed and wanted to do his entrance again. The second time he came out to Kurt Angle's WWE theme music and encouraged the crowd to chant "You Suck".

Mick told a few stories from the road and then brought up the study done by Indiana University a few years ago. The study followed WWE programming for 52 weeks and found that there were 157 counts of the middle finger being used. 434 "suck it's", 1,658 counts of gesturing toward gentile, 128 acts of simulated sex and 609 wrestlers hit with foreign objects.

Foley said he was confused by the study so called up the professor who did the research. The professor cleared up some things by saying that he counts the acts of violence based on not just the live show but also replays and entrance videos. Foley goes on to explain that he is the only wrestler who is seen getting beat up in his entrance video. Foley tried to defend the DX crotch chop by saying that when they make the X with their arms it points away for their crotch, though Foley admitted his argument there was pretty weak.

Foley said he was confused by the 128 acts of simulated sex. The professor said any gesture, such as a woman rubbing a man's shoulders, is considered simulated sex if its done provocatively.

Foley also said he wasn't sure what the study mean by simulated drug use. The professor said simulated drug use also counted beer drinking. Foley said not one of the 37 newspaper articles he read about the study ever mentioned that the 609 counts of simulated drug use related to the drinking of beer.

Foley decided to do his own little study. He had his mother tape a week's worth of General Hospital and a week's worth of Cheers. He found that General Hospital had 4.2 acts of simulated sex an hour compared to WWE's 1.8 per hour. Cheers had 27 acts of "simulated drug use" per hour compared to WWE's .42.

Foley then opened up the forum to questions.

The first question was about Dave Meltzer and is impact on the business. Mick said that Dave had been helpful in getting him a job with the WWE (by mentioning him in his reports) but overall Mick felt Dave hasn't had that great of impact on the industry.

The second question had o do about promos in the WWE and why some guys are so terrible compared to every guy back in the day who could go out and cut a promo every night. Mick said that back in the old days the wrestlers would cut hundreds and hundreds of promos before ever reaching a national audience. Today guys spend 6 months in the development camps and then are thrown on national TV.

Mick mentioned that Cena takes all the heat he gets from fans very well and the WWE makes a lot of money from him.

In 2001 when Mick asked for his release from the WWE him and Vince ended up getting in a yelling match.

Foley feels the best characters are just guys who amplify their own persona.

Timing, luck, talent, and belief in oneself is the most important thing in making it in the business. The creative team can help but it's mostly up to the wrestler.

Foley stated he hasn't said no to any angle presented to him. It was mostly the creative team saying no to angles he proposed.

The only time he was knocked unconscious during a match was his Hell in the Cell match with the Undertaker.

After the hell in the cell match Vince McMahon came up to him and said, "I appreciate what you did but never do that again."

When asked about becoming a writer for the WWE Mick said to not do it. When he joined the WWE he tried to meet everyone in the creative department but quickly learned the turnover rate is so high it's impossible to get to know everyone.

Mick mentioned how his latest book "Hardcore Diaries" has only been on the bestseller list for 4 weeks and will fall from the list next week. He said he would rather be misquoted than not quoted at all, because he as at least gets publicity when misquoted.

When asked what one wrestler he'd pick if he were to start his own wrestling promotion and could pick any wrestler Foley said he'd pick Edge. He said Edge has at least a few more years left to be in his prime and he is one of the few guys that love it when the fans hate him and hates it when they cheer for him.

When asked about his choice to boycott the Raw after the Montreal screw job Mick said it was obvious that when he was watching Raw from his hotel room last night he hadn't made the best decision as everyone else had showed up. When Vince found out Mick wanted to leave the WWE because of what happened he called Foley and tried to convince him to stay.

Another fan asked if there would ever be a time when Mick wouldn't want to talk about wrestling. Mick said as long as people are asking about the hell in the cell match he doesn't have to get a real job.

Mick feels that 12 PPVs a year are too much. He said there should only be 5-6.

Foley feels the business is on an up surge again with guys like John Cena and Batista leading the pack.

The last story Mick told was one that is in his first book (I think anyway). It was the one about Bob Holly suplexing Al Snow and Holly grabbing Snow's trunks and pulled them to the side so Snow was exposed to the sold out crowd.

Foley got a great ovation at the end and signed a few autographs for fans. He also gave the notes he had written in preparation for the lecture to the 3 kids in the audience.

All in all it was a pretty awesome event and Foley was surprisingly candid. I'd love to be able to take this course in pro wrestling, as it seems pretty interesting. I believe later this month they will be holding another open forum with someone in the business, I just don't think it is someone from the WWE. I'd also like to point out that I overheard someone from the channel 7 news say that WWE is helping to fund these forums and the class.

[Vidtek]

This is very cool. Everyone on this board probably knows by now that Mick Foley is my personal hero. Very nice notes, and I can't wait till they put up a podcast of this lecture.
Big Time

[LWPD]

adamsmasher said:

This is very cool. Everyone on this board probably knows by now that Mick Foley is my personal hero. Very nice notes, and I can't wait till they put up a podcast of this lecture.
Big Time

Big Time

You may be interested in a Mick Foley POD Cast from a recent appearance on National Public Radio's 'Talk of the Nation'. Les Thatcher was also a guest at the start. The segment was done from the point of view of addressing a novice audience that doesn't normally watch pro wres...and was added as a link of interest to the MIT class. Mick is heard in rare form...runs about 36 minutes.

tinyurl.com/3bjway

LWPD (listen to the elitist woman 'flip out' on Mick about the effects of pro wres violence on young people...22 minutes in)

"The odd thing is that a lot of the time the 'faking' comes in when you actually 'pretend' to be feeling a lot better than you are...I know there have been cities like El Paso...where I was really hurting...and I thought I would rather be anywhere than 'here' right now...but those people paid their money...and when that bell rings and my music plays...they can't see a guy who's feeling down because he's away from his family and his knees are shot...they paid their money to be entertained...so you put aside your personal feelings...and your physical ailments...and you go out there...and try to give people their money's worth!"

-Mick Foley on work ethic

[Vidtek]

lwpd said:

LWPD (listen to the elitist woman 'flip out' on Mick about the effects of pro wres violence on young people...22 minutes in)

Oh yeah, what was up with that?! Must have been some bad break-up after that. Man. But Foley and Thatcher kept their cool, which is awesome.

"The odd thing is that a lot of the time the 'faking' comes in when you actually 'pretend' to be feeling a lot better than you are...I know there have been city's like El Paso...where I was really hurting...and I thought I would rather be anywhere than 'here' right now...but those people paid their money...and when that bell rings and my music plays...they can't see a guy who's feeling down because he's away from his family and his knees are shot...they paid their money to be entertained...so you put aside your personal feelings...and your physical ailments...and you go out there...and try to give people their money's worth!"

[/i]

-Mick Foley on work ethic[/quote]
This, I think, is one of the best statements I have ever heard. I know we all have our differences of oppinion about characters or storylines, but honestly, at the end of the day, these guys work damn hard to give us something to write about on some internet fanboard. That's why I went into pro wrestling in the first place. Not to make millions and have an action figure and sell out a sports arena for Wrestlemania (although those things would be awesome!), I honestly did it so I could do something that I loved and so people could have fun and be entertained by watching me do it. I don't care if it's 300 people in a bingo hall or 80,000 people at Ford's Field, when I walk to that ring every person in those seats payed their money so I can do what I love, and I am going to give them something to talk about on the ride home.
Big Time

[LWPD]

adamsmasher said:

lwpd said:

LWPD (listen to the elitist woman 'flip out' on Mick about the effects of pro wres violence on young people...22 minutes in)

Oh yeah, what was up with that?! Must have been some bad break-up after that. Man. But Foley and Thatcher kept their cool, which is awesome.

"The odd thing is that a lot of the time the 'faking' comes in when you actually 'pretend' to be feeling a lot better than you are...I know there have been city's like El Paso...where I was really hurting...and I thought I would rather be anywhere than 'here' right now...but those people paid their money...and when that bell rings and my music plays...they can't see a guy who's feeling down because he's away from his family and his knees are shot...they paid their money to be entertained...so you put aside your personal feelings...and your physical ailments...and you go out there...and try to give people their money's worth!"

[/i]

-Mick Foley on work ethic[/quote]
This, I think, is one of the best statements I have ever heard. I know we all have our differences of oppinion about characters or storylines, but honestly, at the end of the day, these guys work damn hard to give us something to write about on some internet fanboard. That's why I went into pro wrestling in the first place. Not to make millions and have an action figure and sell out a sports arena for Wrestlemania (although those things would be awesome!), I honestly did it so I could do something that I loved and so people could have fun and be entertained by watching me do it. I don't care if it's 300 people in a bingo hall or 80,000 people at Ford's Field, when I walk to that ring every person in those seats payed their money so I can do what I love, and I am going to give them something to talk about on the ride home.
Big Time[/quote]

Great points Adam.

The Mick Foley/MIT Podcast is now up

tinyurl.com/2m7q7c

The Jim Ross Seminar should also be up soon!