"LARGER than life"

[Mr Wrestling X]

This has to be one of Vince McMahon's most used idioms and I'm beginning to think that WWE's preferential hiring practises revolve around this concept - both figurative and literally.

 

We all know that McMahon has a penchant for wrestlers with extraordinary physiques, but maybe that's just one part of the equation. See, I get the impression that WWE loves talent who are anything but, ordinary or those who keep up their persona in public, regardless of the modern wrestling scene where social networking media and reality is the "thing".

 

The guys who live pretty quiet lives when not in front of the camera, are often the guys who don't receive decent pushes. I'd put the likes of Kofi Kingston and Jack Swagger in this category, because they don't cause trouble, keep level headed while on the road and don't say or do things that attract attention from the media - whether positive or negative. There are exceptions obviously, like The Miz (who has recieved the main event push previously) but more often than not, you'll find that the most down to Earth wrestlers are the one's who stay in the mid card roles.

 

You then have the likes of CM Punk, who creates controversy on a regular by being outspoken about media figures (his critique of Jon Jones is a recent example) or by being blunt and assertive, regardless of who he is dealing with. That surely qualifies as a "larger than life" personality and is one of the many reasons and definitely one of the more important qualities that he has received an incredible push in the last couple of years (and is firmly established as a top line talent in WWE).

 

Really, the 1980's was the heyday for "larger than life" personalities. Ric Flair's partying and public antics is the stuff of legend, he literally lived (and still does) his character. You then have the more eccentric types such as Andre the Giant (everyone has heard the tipping the car story and/or the one hundred beers in an afternoon) who were known for doing extraordinary things whilst away from the ring. And of course, there are those who maintained strict kayfabe, regardless of the consequences, like Sgt Slaughter (who would have to run from angry mobs during his heel turn) and various wrestlers who would lie about the nature of the business to their friends and family.

 

With this increasing number of actor types (as in those who turn the character on as they walk through the curtain) compared to the "larger than life" types in the modern era of wrestling, could this be the main reason why so few new stars are being made in the WWE?

[cm funk]

From multiple accounts Vince respects talent that is passionate and opinionated and not afraid to speak up for themselves, as long as they've got the goods to back it up. Jericho, Foley and Punk would be some examples of guys who over time won him over and earned a measure of creative freedom for themselves.

 

Somebody like Jack Swagger for example, since you mentioned him, doesn't seem like the type of guy who's going to speak up for himself or really push back against how he's booked.

 

Or on the other end of the spectrum, there's people like Carlito who are opinionated, get the opportunities, and don't capitalize on them.

[Johnny Guitar]

Like CM Funk said. I think Vince likes big personalties, as long as they have something to back it up with in the ring and generate interest out of it. So Jericho is a multiple time world champ, whilst carlito gets his marching orders.

 

As for why they have trouble making new stars. It's not just Vince calling the shots anymore. Steph and HHH have power, and even if they didn't. Vince is a) an old man that is out of touch, is fianacially set and c) has no competion, as far as wrestling is concerned.

[Mr Wrestling X]

Where Carlito is concerned, he was a beneficiary of both nepotism in WWC where he has been pushed as the top star whenever he has competed for the company, since his father is in charge. In WWE, one could argue a case of cronyism since the company has always show favouritism towards second and third generation wrestlers.

 

From the very beginning, Carlito received a huge push (by WWE standards) as he went over and won the US title in his debut match against John Cena (who was Smackdown's biggest rising star at that point) no less and received strong booking all the way throughout 2004 and early 2005. Heck, in his first match after being drafted to Raw he went over and won the Intercontinental title and was placed in decent programmes with the likes of Shelton Benjamin and Ric Flair.

 

Carlito has always been outspoken and ballsy enough to risk his company position by talking candid to the press back in Puerto Rico throughout his WWE run. Essentially, Carlito had everything except a decent gimmick.

[rzombie1988]

Carlito never wanted to be a wrestler and truly didn't give a crap(I met him a few times and it seemed to be true too). I never thought he was as bad as he was made out to be, but he certainly never hit a fraction of his potential.

[rovert]

Carlito never wanted to be a wrestler and truly didn't give a crap(I met him a few times and it seemed to be true too). I never thought he was as bad as he was made out to be, but he certainly never hit a fraction of his potential.

Yeah Sunny said this 2003/4ish in her shoot interview that Primo was the passionate one and Carlito just was doing it for an easy wage. Carlito hammers that point home in his Art of Wrestling interview.