Kayfabe

Kayfabe is a term used to describe the portrayal of staged elements in professional wrestling as if they were real. This includes characters, rivalries, and scripted storylines. In the wrestling industry, kayfabe acts as a way to maintain a pretense of reality for the audience. It is very similar to the "suspension of disbelief" found in other forms of fictional entertainment. When a performer stops acting and shows their true self, they are said to be "breaking kayfabe." This is much like an actor breaking character during a play.

In traditional acting, there is a concept called the "fourth wall." This is an imaginary barrier between the actors and the audience. In professional wrestling, there is almost no conventional fourth wall. Because wrestling is performed live, performers are often expected to stay in character even in their everyday lives. This helps preserve the illusion for the fans. If a performer speaks or acts in a way that is not part of their character, it is not kayfabe. Instead, such a real or unscripted moment is called a "shoot."

Historically, kayfabe was a code used by people "in the business." This includes both the wrestlers and the staff working behind the scenes. They used the term to discuss private matters in public without revealing that the matches were scripted. It served as a warning to other professionals. They would use it to alert others that someone "not in the know" was nearby. This could even include the families of the wrestlers. For example, in the 1970s, the wife of the wrestler Kamala believed he had won a $5,000 prize. In reality, that money was simply part of a kayfabe storyline.

To make the shows interesting, wrestlers adopt specific roles. The most common roles are faces and heels. Faces, or "babyfaces," are the hero characters. They are designed to earn the support of the crowd through traits like patriotism, humility, and determination. They usually win matches using technical skill. On the other hand, heels are the villains. They are crafted to elicit negative reactions from the audience. Heels might use narcissism, rage, or even cheating to win.

Sometimes, a character will undergo a "turn." This is when a wrestler transitions from a face to a heel, or vice versa. This change can happen suddenly or gradually through a long storyline. Some wrestlers fall into a middle category called "tweeners." These are like antiheroes who might use aggressive tactics but still remain sympathetic to the fans. A successful tweener, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, can eventually be adopted by the crowd as a face. The way an audience reacts can even change how a character is booked. For instance, Rocky Maivia transitioned into the highly successful heel character known as The Rock.

The history of kayfabe shows how the industry has changed. In 1934, a match at Wrigley Field was called a "shooting match." This was a subtle way to suggest that other matches were not real. In 1989, Vince McMahon, the owner of the World Wrestling Federation, officially testified that wrestling was not a competitive sport. He did this to avoid certain taxes and the rules of state athletic commissions. Today, many experts describe the current era as "neokayfabe." In this stage, the lines between real life and scripted stories are often blurred, making the audience part of the spectacle.

While the term started in wrestling, the concept exists in other areas of show business. Many celebrities engage in fake feuds to create entertainment. For example, actors Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds, or Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon, often play up rivalries that are not real. Some even suggest that politics uses a form of kayfabe. Former wrestler and Governor Jesse Ventura once compared Washington to wrestling. He suggested that politicians often pretend to hate each other in public, only to be friends in private.