CM Punk’s shoot hadn’t even made it to YouTube before being identified as a “worked” shoot. Vince McMahon hadn’t even dried his eyes after being fired before fans noted that WWE’s corporate website still has him listed at CEO and Chairman.
The second thing that has been learned is that the fans like it anyways. They like when the lines between reality and fantasy are blurred. They like shoots and they like “worked shoots” as well.
It creates discussion, it creates controversy and it draws ratings.
So why, in a time when even casual fans know everything there is to know, are Randy Orton and Christian booked as face/heel, and not the other way around.
The IWC loves Christian, but that doesn’t matter a great deal considering the IWC likes a lot of heels.
But, the reasons why the IWC loves Christian do matter; they are the reasons why his is, truly a face. Everyone who owns a computer or listened to Michael Cole during 2010 knows who Christian really is.
He is a hard-working, likeable guy. He is well respected in the locker room and well respected by fans for his in-ring ability and dedication to the craft.
You can’t hide who you really are and Christian, in real life, is a good guy. When he steps into the ring, fans can see it.
Orton, on the other hand, is a bad guy.
Not only does he play a heel better then he plays a face, but he is also just a bad guy in real life.
This is evidenced by his on-air, unprofessional lashing of Kofi Kingston, his supposed role in the release of Mr. Kennedy, his berating of Kelly Kelly on a radio interview and his general attitude towards the fans.
Add that to the fact that Randy’s dad was a wrestler and he fast-tracked his way to the top because he is the “fortunate son” and there is not shortage of reasons to hate this guy.
“Hate” of course being a term of endearment. “Hate” being a necessary part of wrestling. “Hate” meaning drawing heat, getting crowd reaction and off-setting the clean image of the wrestler across the ring.
Granted, Randy Orton’s popularity is undeniable. It is understandable why the WWE would make him both A face and THE face of SmackDown, but trying to sell him as a “good” and Christian as “bad” is borderline insulting to the fans.
It would be like casting Tom Hanks against Jack Nicholson in an action movie, and Tom Hanks is the evil villain.
The bottom line: for a WWE character or storyline to be truly successful there has to be some grain of truth embedded within. Deep down, Stone Cold Steve Austin is a trash-talking beer-drinking antihero. Deep down, Vince McMahon is an opportunistic, self-promoting business man.
Deep down Christian is a good guy and deep down, Randy Orton is not. And the fans can see it, clear as day.
Source : bleacherreport.com
