WWE: The Negative Response to "Kayfabe Tees" Is an Overreaction

Never mind gnomes or the John Cena cologne set, the real fuss these days in WWE Shopzone matters is over their line of “Kayfabe tees,” currently available on their official site.

Sorry, Rock.

As of the time of writing, the t-shirts are still available, although it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see them get pulled soon.

You see, the line, which features plain black shirts emblazoned with various smark slogans like “I Got Heat,” “Jobber” and “I'm So Over” has, per recent reports, caused a decidedly negative reaction in certain circles in WWE. Reportedly, the negativity is from several wrestlers and a few veterans (many of whom serve as a road agents in the company) who are irate about such insider terms being banded around so casually for commercial purposes.

The reaction in the company was apparently so heated, Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor Dave Meltzer even expressed astonishment that the line was not pulled long before they officially went on sale.

Some fans too have also complained about the shirts, feeling they expose the business and, by being so blatant that everything is fake, make it more difficult for fans to invest emotionally in the already-struggling product.

However, for several reasons that I will go into, I feel this a huge overreaction on the parts of the wrestlers and the fanbase. Indeed, rather than trying to get this kayfabe lineup pulled, people should instead regard them as harmless and simply a nice way for the company to make a little bit of extra cash.

First of all, kayfabe has already been destroyed on WWE television, and in far worse ways. Anyone remember, back in 2005, Matt Hardy openly noting in his return promo that while Lita may have been married to Kane “on TV,” it was him she was going home to (Matt was explaining the whole Edge/Lita real-life affair). Or how about when The Big Show taught the Tough Enough contestants how to take bodyslams on a 2004 episode of Smackdown and all the contestants just popped up after it?

Or, hey, even just last week you had John Cena mocking The Rock love on air for having some of his promo written on his wrist, which blatantly points out to fans that Raw is usually scripted.

All of these things expose the business far more than a simple t-shirt with some writing on it ever could. Hey, you have to wonder where all the disgruntled veterans were when these angles were being scripted and why they didn't voice their opposition to these segments then?

What's more, the idea that the business still has to be “protected” is laughable.

This isn't the '70s anymore. WWE and their wrestlers already freely admit in various interviews, DVDs and blogs that wrestling is scripted and the performers are playing characters. Ex-WWE writers regularly do interviews (with Bryan Alvarez, Wade Keller and others) discussing their time there and the various angles and storylines they presided over.

It has been this way for years now. Everyone (except maybe some younger fans) knows wrestling isn't real, so what harm can these t-shirts possibly do?

I believe the t-shirts are also a good idea because they strengthen the company's bond with their smark fans. There is nothing wrong with having a fascination for what goes on behind the scenes or reading “dirtsheets,” and, with this recent t-shirt line, WWE seem to be getting with the times and acknowledging this part of their fanbase.

Summarily, despite what many in the company may think, we should hope those in charge of merchandise don't relent and stick to their guns on this entertaining, original and possibly highly-profitable line of apparel. And who knows? If the folks at Shopzone really want to have a good laugh, they could start wearing their “I Got Heat” around these angry wrestlers and veterans.