Why I care about the Narrator in wrestling
In International Object 49 I asked a question that I have been thinking about for a while, Who is the narrator in wrestling. This is one of those questions that most fans do not care about. In sports there is no narrator, so why should there be a narrator in wrestling? The big difference between sports and wrestling is outside forces impose the narrative in sports, the narrative is part of why we watch wrestling.
Why do I ask this question? I want to know what kind of stories can be told as part of wrestling. I want to know the limits of the art form. In my first college film class the professor's first question after we watched each film he asked, "Who was the narrator?" Some firms this is an easy question to answer, some movies it is harder.
The reason this question is important is because of point of view. If the head writer is the narrator, the voice and point of view can be consistent between matches. If the narrator changes depending on who is in the match, this means the story telling changes all the time during the show. If I am trying to figure out what is happening in a story and why it is happening, knowing the narrator can be helpful.
You can tell me there is no narrator in wrestling, but that is now what my eyes see. I watch all my wrestling on television. There are things that are shown and things that are not shown. If there was no narrator, I would see everything. Someone is shaping what I am seeing. That is the role of the narrator.
If you ask me about some famous story lines, here is who I would say the narrator is.
Stone Cold v. Mr. McMahon - narrator Jim Ross
NWO - Narrator Eric Bischoff
Tommy Dreamer v. Raven - Narrator Tommy Dreamer
Edge v. John Cena - Narrator Edge
La Familia - Narrator Edge
John Cena v. The Rock - Narrator John Cena
CM Punk v. John Cena - Narrator CM Punk
Let me know if you think I have it wrong with any of the story lines.
To be honest, I do not think fans really need to care who the narrator is. It might change how they look at the story, it might not. I think it is important that the writers, wrestlers, and announcers know who the narrator is. If they do not think about it, the stories are trying to tell will always fall short. I want to know the people in the writing room are thinking about the story telling elements in wrestling. If not, they are selling us short.
Why do I ask this question? I want to know what kind of stories can be told as part of wrestling. I want to know the limits of the art form. In my first college film class the professor's first question after we watched each film he asked, "Who was the narrator?" Some firms this is an easy question to answer, some movies it is harder.
The reason this question is important is because of point of view. If the head writer is the narrator, the voice and point of view can be consistent between matches. If the narrator changes depending on who is in the match, this means the story telling changes all the time during the show. If I am trying to figure out what is happening in a story and why it is happening, knowing the narrator can be helpful.
You can tell me there is no narrator in wrestling, but that is now what my eyes see. I watch all my wrestling on television. There are things that are shown and things that are not shown. If there was no narrator, I would see everything. Someone is shaping what I am seeing. That is the role of the narrator.
If you ask me about some famous story lines, here is who I would say the narrator is.
Stone Cold v. Mr. McMahon - narrator Jim Ross
NWO - Narrator Eric Bischoff
Tommy Dreamer v. Raven - Narrator Tommy Dreamer
Edge v. John Cena - Narrator Edge
La Familia - Narrator Edge
John Cena v. The Rock - Narrator John Cena
CM Punk v. John Cena - Narrator CM Punk
Let me know if you think I have it wrong with any of the story lines.
To be honest, I do not think fans really need to care who the narrator is. It might change how they look at the story, it might not. I think it is important that the writers, wrestlers, and announcers know who the narrator is. If they do not think about it, the stories are trying to tell will always fall short. I want to know the people in the writing room are thinking about the story telling elements in wrestling. If not, they are selling us short.
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