It used to be in wrestling, nobody ever took a bow. It was never recorded on film, anyway. If it happened, it happened off camera, after a show, where only the people in the audience saw. But even then, rarely. It used to be that wrestlers never got to thank the audience on the way out, because that’s not how wrestling worked.
Go to a play, a dance, an opera. Go see a theatrical performance. They bow every night. You clap for them every night. They bow because they deserve it, because they worked hard and now it’s time to appreciate it. Wrestlers bow when their career is over. Only then, it seems, are they allowed to lose their “character” and be human beings, performers on a great stage.
On Friday night, Edge takes his bow. He’s had a choice career, one that seems unbelievable considering how human he’s stayed. He’s never proclaimed superhuman strength, paranormal abilities, or immortal traits of any God. Edge is a guy. He’s an awesome guy. He’s who everyone wants to be like, or be best friends with. He’s very possibly the most attractive wrestler ever. But he’s a guy. He’s never really been a character. Sometimes he was a nice guy. Sometimes he was an asshole. But because he was a performer, he was a great nice guy and a great asshole. Because he was such a good performer, we never really noticed when he wasn’t himself. I watched his bow already, and I know it’s worth it. So go watch Smackdown. I won’t spoil anything, but I will tell you it is worth seeing.
As wrestling has shifted from pseudo-sport to artful performance, the amount of crowd acknowledgement of the performances have grown. The pinnacle example is from WrestleMania 26, which ended with a finale by Shawn Michaels; a bow, followed a thankful and mournful crowd. But there are many examples of wrestling bowing due to a lengthy and meaningful career. There are much fewer instances of wrestlers bowing due to a satisfying performance that night. Because that’s not only how theatrical performances do it, but also at times how sports do it, I have to wonder why wrestling almost never does. For those who have never been to a live wrestling show (and are young enough to not remember when wrestling was considered “real-ish”), it may actually surprise you that there is no end of the night bow after the show. There is often an extra match or extra speech, but there is no moment when the entire roster comes out and thanks the crowd.
This isn’t unheard of. One of the cool things about TNA live shows is how thankful and personable the roster is (something I wish they would show on television every now and then), but even they don’t do the bow as you’d think of it. But why not? Have they not worked hard? Do they not deserve a round of applause?
Of course, rounds of applause happen all the time after a particularly good match. Ring of Honor has perhaps the best shows of respect I’ve ever seen in the seemingly ceremonial ribbon throw. WWE crowds are known for standing ovations after exhausting contests. The audience seems willing and able to applaud the performers, so the problem lies with the performer. During these outbursts of appreciation, the professional wrestler is always humbled, sometimes to tears. They don’t know what to do. And there is a tie to humble behavior and the appearance of a pro wrestler (especially the heroes; villains are encouraged to be rich, bitching rock stars) that I believe makes the bow a difficult thing.
This is slowly changing for the better. The bow is increasingly a part of the product, even if for now it is relegated to a resignation.
Speaking of Shawn Michaels, there is unfortunately an air of punishment to taking a bow. Back in 1996, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall left WWE for WCW. In their final performance, they embraced in the ring with Shawn Michaels and HHH, their best friends. This was considered taboo at the time, and the event caused some controversy. In hindsight, the controversy was ridiculous. These were performers, not enemies. Anyone with a quarter of a brain knows that. Of course they don’t hate each other for real. And if this was the last time the four of them would ever perform on the same stage, wouldn’t you expect something like this to happen? I wonder if HHH, who was the one punished for the event, has reversed that policy since gaining political power in the company. He is, of course, the guy who often shows up at these retirement speeches and hugs the man who he might have once “hated.”
But wouldn’t it be something if at the end of a house show, every competitor (and, hell, even some stagehands) came out and the end and did a big long line-bow? I’d applaud. You would too. And maybe if they knew that, if they knew you wouldn’t think less of them for being men and women and not invincible demi-gods, they’d do it.
K Sawyer Paul is an author and publisher living in Toronto. He tweets and tumbls. In the wrestling world he is known for This is Sports Entertainment and Aggressive Art. Edited by Jason Mann.
