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The history of racism in wrestling goes deeper than you might think The history of racism in wrestling goes deeper than you might think
(about 2 hours later)
To many children of the 1980s and 90s, Hulk Hogan’s alleged racist rant, in which he is said to have repeatedly used the N word while expressing his displeasure at his daughter’s relationship with a black man, has come not just as a shock but as a betrayal.To many children of the 1980s and 90s, Hulk Hogan’s alleged racist rant, in which he is said to have repeatedly used the N word while expressing his displeasure at his daughter’s relationship with a black man, has come not just as a shock but as a betrayal.
Like many of my generation, I watched Hogan’s matches religiously. In the cartoonish setting of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) he stood as a beacon of justice, defeating a revolving assortment of dastardly bad guys while encouraging his young fans to say their prayers, take their vitamins and drink their milk. Hogan was a real-life superhero, the embodiment of courage and virtue. To see him embroiled in a scandal over racist remarks feels like a steel chair shot to my childhood.Like many of my generation, I watched Hogan’s matches religiously. In the cartoonish setting of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) he stood as a beacon of justice, defeating a revolving assortment of dastardly bad guys while encouraging his young fans to say their prayers, take their vitamins and drink their milk. Hogan was a real-life superhero, the embodiment of courage and virtue. To see him embroiled in a scandal over racist remarks feels like a steel chair shot to my childhood.
Promoters have always relied on the appeal of home-town heroes doing battle with villainous foreignersPromoters have always relied on the appeal of home-town heroes doing battle with villainous foreigners
Hogan’s employer – rebranded as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 1999 – has terminated its contract with the star, whose real name is Terry Bollea. It’s a stunning fall from grace for a man who, as reigning world heavyweight champion, led professional wrestling to new and previously unimagined heights of popularity. Hogan’s employer – rebranded as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2002 – has terminated its contract with the star, whose real name is Terry Bollea. It’s a stunning fall from grace for a man who, as reigning world heavyweight champion, led professional wrestling to new and previously unimagined heights of popularity.
But while Hogan’s alleged comments are undoubtedly shocking, they expose an attitude that’s been deeply ingrained in the pseudo-sport from its earliest days. Wrestling has long played on prejudice in an effort to sell tickets, shift merchandise and pull in television viewers.But while Hogan’s alleged comments are undoubtedly shocking, they expose an attitude that’s been deeply ingrained in the pseudo-sport from its earliest days. Wrestling has long played on prejudice in an effort to sell tickets, shift merchandise and pull in television viewers.
Promoters have always relied on the appeal of home-town heroes doing battle with villainous foreigners as an easy and reliable means of generating interest in their product. Over the decades, the industry has seen an assortment of snobbish Englishmen, arrogant Canadians and Ivan Drago-esque Soviet supermen going up against American stars. While these displays of pantomime patriotism may be lazy, they aren’t always inherently harmful. But wrestling has trodden much more dubious moral ground whenever it explored race.Promoters have always relied on the appeal of home-town heroes doing battle with villainous foreigners as an easy and reliable means of generating interest in their product. Over the decades, the industry has seen an assortment of snobbish Englishmen, arrogant Canadians and Ivan Drago-esque Soviet supermen going up against American stars. While these displays of pantomime patriotism may be lazy, they aren’t always inherently harmful. But wrestling has trodden much more dubious moral ground whenever it explored race.
In the 1960s and 70s for example, one of the industry’s most successful bad guys was The Sheik. Billed as a wealthy and psychotic Syrian, he was in fact Lebanese-American Ed Farhat, a second world war veteran born and raised in Michigan. To a chorus of boos, Farhat would enter the ring wearing a middle-eastern ghutra headdress. He would kneel on a prayer mat before matches and spoke only in vaguely Arabic-sounding gibberish.In the 1960s and 70s for example, one of the industry’s most successful bad guys was The Sheik. Billed as a wealthy and psychotic Syrian, he was in fact Lebanese-American Ed Farhat, a second world war veteran born and raised in Michigan. To a chorus of boos, Farhat would enter the ring wearing a middle-eastern ghutra headdress. He would kneel on a prayer mat before matches and spoke only in vaguely Arabic-sounding gibberish.
It was another Middle-Eastern character, Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, known to fans as the Iron Sheik, who would help to cement Hulk Hogan’s place as wrestling’s most marketable hero. Hogan defeated the Iranian at Madison Square Garden in 1984, claiming the world heavyweight championship in the process. During the match he choked and spat on his opponent, to rapturous applause.It was another Middle-Eastern character, Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, known to fans as the Iron Sheik, who would help to cement Hulk Hogan’s place as wrestling’s most marketable hero. Hogan defeated the Iranian at Madison Square Garden in 1984, claiming the world heavyweight championship in the process. During the match he choked and spat on his opponent, to rapturous applause.
Throughout this period, the WWF paraded a succession of racist and otherwise unhealthy caricatures across television screens. Even as the company grew to become a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon, it featured a cannibalistic Ugandan head-hunter, a submissive black manservant employed by a white millionaire, and a feud that saw a Canadian wrestler, Rowdy Roddy Piper, appear in bizarre half-blackface makeup during a match with an African-American opponent, Bad News Brown.Throughout this period, the WWF paraded a succession of racist and otherwise unhealthy caricatures across television screens. Even as the company grew to become a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon, it featured a cannibalistic Ugandan head-hunter, a submissive black manservant employed by a white millionaire, and a feud that saw a Canadian wrestler, Rowdy Roddy Piper, appear in bizarre half-blackface makeup during a match with an African-American opponent, Bad News Brown.
Perhaps most disturbing of all was the career of Charles Wright, who was cast in the role of Papa Shango, a voodoo priest who laid curses on opponents. Wright would go on to play a member of a militant group resembling the Nation of Islam, before finally adopting the persona of a pimp who entered the ring accompanied by a crowd of women he – and WWE – referred to as “hoes”. The character was promoted as a fan favourite.Perhaps most disturbing of all was the career of Charles Wright, who was cast in the role of Papa Shango, a voodoo priest who laid curses on opponents. Wright would go on to play a member of a militant group resembling the Nation of Islam, before finally adopting the persona of a pimp who entered the ring accompanied by a crowd of women he – and WWE – referred to as “hoes”. The character was promoted as a fan favourite.
Related: Repressed Brits, evil Mexicans, Arab villains: why are Hollywood's animated movies full of racist stereotypes?Related: Repressed Brits, evil Mexicans, Arab villains: why are Hollywood's animated movies full of racist stereotypes?
While it might be comforting to think of these portrayals of race as regrettable relics of a bygone era, WWE has continued to present fans with the likes of the Mexicools, who rode to the ring on lawnmowers in a reference to undocumented day labourers, and Cryme Tyme, a pair of black wrestlers who stole from their opponents in what the company described as an attempt to “parody racial stereotypes”. Then there was Muhammad Hassan, an Arab character played by an Italian-American, Mark Copani, who orchestrated an attack on veteran wrestler The Undertaker by masked terrorists.While it might be comforting to think of these portrayals of race as regrettable relics of a bygone era, WWE has continued to present fans with the likes of the Mexicools, who rode to the ring on lawnmowers in a reference to undocumented day labourers, and Cryme Tyme, a pair of black wrestlers who stole from their opponents in what the company described as an attempt to “parody racial stereotypes”. Then there was Muhammad Hassan, an Arab character played by an Italian-American, Mark Copani, who orchestrated an attack on veteran wrestler The Undertaker by masked terrorists.
Anyone exposed to these cheap gimmicks would be forgiven for thinking of wrestling fans as moronic and bigoted. That’s a shame because at its best professional wrestling is an artform, and a platform for compelling storytelling. Smaller independent promotions, like Baltimore-based Ring of Honor, focus far more on the skill and athleticism of performers than offensive, tacky amateur dramatics.Anyone exposed to these cheap gimmicks would be forgiven for thinking of wrestling fans as moronic and bigoted. That’s a shame because at its best professional wrestling is an artform, and a platform for compelling storytelling. Smaller independent promotions, like Baltimore-based Ring of Honor, focus far more on the skill and athleticism of performers than offensive, tacky amateur dramatics.
For anyone who has followed the industry at its highest levels, though, the account of Hulk Hogan’s alleged outburst is just the latest expression of professional wrestling’s deep-seated problem with prejudice.For anyone who has followed the industry at its highest levels, though, the account of Hulk Hogan’s alleged outburst is just the latest expression of professional wrestling’s deep-seated problem with prejudice.