I Draw Wrestlers – Comedy in Wrestling

By Chris Guest
Updated: May 27, 2020
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I Draw Wrestlers – Comedy in Wrestling

“I Draw Wrestlers – Comedy in Wrestling” is contributed by Chris Guest. Each week Chris will discuss a topic, and do a drawing that represents that subject matter. This is all posted to his You Tube channel (embedded video below), but we’ve reproduced it here in written form. He would love to hear your reviews on the artwork he produces. If you draw, send him a link through the comments on his You Tube Channel . The best way to support him is by subscribing to his You Tube channel and connecting with him on Instagram at @IdrawWrestlers.

Comedy in Wrestling – by Chris Guest

So, let’s talk comedy in wrestling. They say funny’s not money in wrestling, and if you look at the long list of comedic wrestlers that have failed to get to the very top in wrestling, it’s probably true. Santino Marella, Brodus Clay, Adam Rose, No Way Jose, Fandango. . . there are many many more. Yet comedy still continues in major wrestling organizations and indies and is showing no signs of disappearing any time soon.

AEW

AEW, probably the newest promotion, despite saying that it would be a sports-based product, is littered with comedy wrestlers: Marko Stunt, Luchasaurus, and Orange Cassidy. Orange Cassidy is massively popular with the audience, but could you see him being THE man. If you compare him to Darby Allin, both were introduced to mainstream audiences at the very same time, but which could you see having a legitimate title run. Is it the comedy that limits the character as it restricts what could be done in the ring? Especially when you consider Orange Cassidy whose humor comes from being lethargic and having his hands in his pockets.

On the flip side of all this though, you have veterans like Chris Jericho utilizing comedy with great affect. Who can forget his “Little bit of the bubbly” and his title run that largely established AEW as a major company?

WWE

It’s not just AEW either, WWE uses comedy even more. They have had comedic wrestlers like Kofi Kingston win their most prestigious belt: the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. His run though was lukewarm at best. It’s easy to argue that mainstream audiences largely disregarded his athletic skills viewing him as an unworthy wrestler for such a role as they viewed him not as a comedic wrestler, but as a joke.

It’s not even just the so-called comedic wrestlers in WWE that have to use comedy. And its widely accepted that humor has to be added to your character to get over. Look at Daniel Bryan and his eco-friendly championship, the Fiend with his firefly funhouse, and even the repackaging of wrestlers such as the Revival that were going to be turned into clown-like characters. It seems that the WWE wants wrestlers to use comedy, but when wrestlers do use comedy, they fail to push them.

Otis is currently perhaps the exception to the rule, and he’s just won the Money in the Bank through pure slapstick, Vince approved humor. But could you see him being your champion?

Where I Stand

I think where I stand on comedy in wrestling is that I don’t like deliberately funny things. If you watch Kenny Omega wrestle the doll, that for me was too far. They are laughing at you – not with you. And personally, I think that opens up wrestling to non-fans for ridicule. Sure, there’s laughs. Sure, they’re laughing at the wrestling, but what’s the payoff? Who actually gains from that?

I don’t think any wrestler benefits from that type of match. Kenny Omega does not benefit from wrestling a doll. The wrestlers that use those moves legitimately on opponents don’t benefit because their moves is seen as phony and fake. I also don’t think that type of comedy is actually very funny. Any new fan, any young fan will obviously laugh because it’s stupid. But then, they’ll move on to more entertaining forms of comedy that they can find in numerous other places.

For me, I personally like wrestling action based where there is some suggestion of threat and danger by wrestlers competing against one another. I think though there is some place for comedy, but it is the comedy that is subtle. It’s not the slapstick Vince McMahon approved type comedy.

Ring of Honor

I think Ring of Honor gets it just right. Matt Taven, Silas Young, Marty Scurll – all have aspects to their character that make me laugh. But it’s an aspect of their character not their entire character. And that’s why it’s funny. Because it represents that this character has a range of emotions. Not just this 2D cartoon-like caricature of a funny person.

The best example for me is Dalton Castle, and it’s the reason why I’ve drawn this image. He combines comedy with his entrance initially when he was accompanied by the boys, his dialogue, and how he rarely breaks from his character. It’s this dedication to his character that makes you want to take him seriously even though he is comedic. Had he not been blighted by injury during his title run, we would have remembered him far more fondly. And perhaps he would have been seen as the best example in the current era of a successful and comedic wrestler.

I’d love to know what you think about comedy in wrestling. Does it have a role? Does it have a purpose? And which comedic wrestlers do you think have managed to break through on that top tier level.